


Unlucky Madrigal

by LaDragonaria



Series: Adios, Despair! [5]
Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School
Genre: Cameos, F/F, F/M, M/M, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Psychological Horror, School Life of Mutual Killing, Survival, Survival Horror, Writing Exercise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-12
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-08-22 00:53:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 125,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8266714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaDragonaria/pseuds/LaDragonaria
Summary: Class 76-B of Hope's Peak Academy was set to graduate before the fall of Hope's Peak Academy. However, as the events of Danganronpa 3 unfold, they find that the beginning of the Tragedy has made their school life unsafe. As the world breaks down around them, they are forced to fend for themselves on an increasingly dangerous campus while Enoshima Junko slowly consolidates her power and plans to put the First Killing Game into effect.
These 16 students unwittingly fall into her clutches and so begins an improvised Mutual Killing Game with them as the contestants. The lovely and hateful Monokuma declares that this is their Final Exam; kill or be killed.
An original story with original characters in an original situation. With cameos from certain characters and the Future Foundation... something of a bridge between the Tragedy and DR1.





	1. Class Roster - Meet the Ultimates!

**Author's Note:**

> Our daring and mean-spirited narrator is Nishikado Kaya - the Super High School Level Cyclist - who was all set to graduate before the various events of Danganronpa 3 forced the school to close its doors... with her and her 15 classmates still inside.
> 
> And now we meet our Ultimates!

### 

#### #1 SHSL Ventriloquist - Souma Matsuri

One would assume that Matsuri was a gentle type, but Matsuri is brazen and frequently getting in trouble. While Matsuri herself is a kind and sweet person, her puppet - Ginka - is loud-mouthed and frequently makes inappropriate jokes. This strange ventriloquist act is quite popular enough that she has even had plays and concerts regarding plots she’s created for the puppet medium. It’s suspected that Matsuri uses Ginka as a way to let out her insecurities. Also surprising is that Matsuri is very good at mimicking the voices of others, which makes her an excellent storyteller.

#### #2 SHSL Cyclist - Nishikado Kaya

Kaya’s kind of bitchy but best friends with Ayumu and Chisato. She earned her title by winning numerous cycling prizes, including the Tour de France. She’s not a great person, competitive and arrogant, and way too sarcastic for her own good. Her family pushes her to greatness to the extreme. As such, Kaya depends only on herself, using her wiles and attitude to push ahead in life. She may not be the nicest person in the world up front, but she is the most driven. Now, if she could only stop calling everyone stupid, she would probably not be known as the mean girl of Class 76-B.

#### #3 SHSL Acrobat - Matsunaga Sorata

Sorata’s a kid from the wrong side of the tracks, considered a punk by most and he’s typically obnoxious and careless with people and doesn’t get along with most given his appearance, with his arms and chest covered in tattoos and his hair partially bleached and greased back. But his punk nature is very sharply contrasted by the fact that he almost always is wearing a black unitard or tights with a button-down shirt around his waist. As the SHSL Acrobat, he’s best at flips and handstands, but is an accomplished trapeze artist and works at a famous circus. His skill with acrobatics and at lockpicking have led to the others jokingly referring to him as the SHSL Ninja. Underneath all the bluster and gruff exterior, he’s a showboat and really does care for everyone in the class and isn't nearly as bad as his image suggests.

#### #4 SHSL Linguist / Spanish Teacher - Yuuhi Rivera

Yuuhi Rivera is half-Japanese, half-Spanish. He has difficulty connecting with people which is why he turned to languages, hoping it would help him understand people better. His mother’s family lives in Okinawa, while his father maintains an icy distance as an ambassador in Madrid. He earned his place as the SHSL Linguist by creating language learning software for computers that would help AIs learn more efficiently. He also holds the title of SHSL Spanish Teacher. He’s a little too serious for his own good and his way of speaking is very blunt compared to everyone else, but he also does believe in Hope. His reserved intelligence and chilly attitude make him the voice of reason.

#### #5 SHSL Baker - Hirano Jinichi

Jinichi is known as the SHSL Baker, and is an unrepentant perfectionist. Overall, he’s a model student and hasn’t really forgiven anyone for not voting him the next Student Council President. He’s really quite pleasant to be around until someone makes a mess or does something he doesn’t approve of. That's the surest way to get Jinichi to start claiming that he’s on the moral high road. Which is to say, that he’s always in a bad mood because everyone in the class is a handful even at the best of times. Throughout the events of the Tragedy he remains suspicious and critical of the leadership of those in charge, believing that those who are in charge have a responsibility to deal with crises effectively.

#### #6 SHSL Copyeditor / Student Council Secretary - Tachibana Yoshiki

Yoshiki was a very reserved and gentle student before the tragedies began, known for his organizational skills and handsome features. As the SHSL Copyeditor, he’s worked with diplomats and politicians to correct and proofread various works and speeches, always giving things an elegant shine. But after the explosion in the gym - where he was - he’s developed a fear of loud noises and is increasingly mistrusting of the Hope’s Peak faculty. Worst of all, he was “elected” to be the new Student Council Secretary after the student council members were killed which has left him paranoid.

#### #7 SHSL Salesman - Okui Ayumu

Ayumu is the SHSL Salesman, who is often called to move merchandise from big companies. Supposedly, he’s a genius in marketing. He’s funny and personable but not exactly a kind person either. He teases friends and family alike, and comes across like the class clown and a used car salesman. Ayumu is best friends with Kaya and Chisato, and despite what anyone would think, he’s not a womanizer at all. Mostly, Ayumu is a class clown with a smart mouth who’s harmless. Without his talent, he’d be very forgettable.

#### #8 SHSL Carpenter - Kogure Chisato

Chisato is Kaya’s best friend, and the SHSL Carpenter. Her family maintains one of the most well-respected furniture companies on the Eastern Hemisphere, due in no small part to Chisato herself. Her family urged her to come home after the incidents, but certain events made it all but impossible for her. Chisato is a follower by nature, she usually does whatever Kaya wants, even though it usually backfires for Chisato herself. On her own, she can be quite kind and generous, but when she's around Kaya, she can find herself succumbing to peer pressure and becoming nastier than she'd like to be. Chisato is amazing with numbers and measurements and can size them up at a glance. But she isn’t terribly confident in anything but her own skills.

#### #9 SHSL Weightlifter - Utsumi Shirahase

Shirahase is nicknamed "the Amazon”, for her record breaking performances as a professional weightlifter and is suspected to be the next Olympic candidate. She’s more popular with girls than with boys, but Shirahase is a soft-spoken young woman. Although shy, she is good friends with the other athletes and all of the girls look up to her or come to her for protection probably because of her strength and protective personality which makes it hard for her to turn her back on those in need. Her own mothering personality belies a critical nature for people who don’t take initiative. At best, Shirahase’s kindness comes across as lukewarm and perfunctory. No one’s really sure what she’s like when she’s upset, but her cold shoulder is legendary.

#### #10 SHSL Archer - Tatsuma Daisuke

Daisuke is nicknamed “the Scarlet Archer” and is the Champion of the Japanese longbow, competing in kyudo. Nationally, he is well-respected and has also begun taking up the recurve bow to compete in the Olympics some day. Daisuke is known to have a confident personality but is the most easily frazzled by his own mistakes. Daisuke is usually mistaken for a punk because of his bleached hair and his love of the color red. Although not an all-around athlete, he sometimes assists Konoe or Shirahase when he’s free. Overall, he’s much too loud and full of fighting spirit and frequently needs to be talked down by the other athletes in the class. He is best friends with Konoe, who is dating his older sister (Yukino).

#### #11 SHSL Rugby Star / Yogi - Sakurai Konoe

Konoe is an athletic but calm person who is best friends with Daisuke, although it is said their personalities would be better switched. Konoe trains to do rugby as the Fly-Half, but is also proficient in kickboxing and soccer, though it’s leading his rugby team to victory at nationals that led to his position at Hope’s Peak. Apparently temperamental as a child, his parents enrolled him in sports as well as meditation and yoga to keep him balanced. This led to his dual titles, as he is also the SHSL Yogi. He is very often the one who is most composed and in a position of leadership, aside from Yoshiki. Konoe often plays the straight man in contrast to his friend Daisuke who is bombastic, but he’s always looking out for Daisuke. The two have been friends since middle school, and Konoe is dating Daisuke’s sister (Yukino) as well.

#### #12 SHSL Lucky Student - Ijishima Ran

Ran is a carefree “commoner” who has no real talents other than an odd way of being lucky at certain points. She won the lottery to attend Hope’s Peak for her class, but she carries multiple lucky charms and talismans with her to the extent that people have started to call her the SHSL Priestess. She’s very superstitious and afraid of ghosts, though she says she can sense disasters. Even so, it’s said she amassed a small fortune betting on horse racing after predicting the trifecta. Her incredible unremarkableness leads Ran to be extra energetic and clownish, and she dyed her hair pink to stand out more.

#### #13 SHSL Veterinarian - Ebihara Shoko

Shoko is an aggressive young woman who dislikes most of the people in the class aside from Yoshiki, Konoe, and Shirahase. Shoko has learned to dislike people in general because of the way they treat animals, having worked tirelessly at her family’s veterinary clinic to help and rehabilitate hurt or ailing animals. Shoko doesn’t stand out very much among the girls, except that she is known to be a good cook and very dedicated to keeping the peace in class. Her biggest insecurities are that she feels she comes across as boring. She can’t stand people who are selfish to the extent that she dislikes Kaya on sight.

#### #14 SHSL Wildlife Conservationist - Mizuno Tsubaki

Tsubaki has worked with countless organizations in the tropical rain forests of Brazil and has a love of animals and the environment. Her work in conservation efforts has been helping mend the rain forest and she was expected to do great things once she graduated. Tsubaki is smiling and cheerful but has a habit of doting on people too strongly and comes across as cloying. Her chipper attitude is relentless, but Tsubaki hides her stronger emotions from the rest of the world, only letting people see a facade of joy and drive.

#### #15 SHSL Director - Ono Zenji

Zenji is weird. He’s a world famous director who constantly monologues things, though his movies are technically brilliant. He’s always bothering someone with the way he demands that they say their “lines” over and over, or sometimes demands that they leave the room to reenter. He gets along well with Oboro, but he can be too dramatic for any of the normal people around. Zenji doesn’t often steal the scene in terms of personality, preferring to see how things develop and assisting from there. He’s not very exceptional except for his stage directions and the ability to annoy anyone he meets very quickly.

#### #16 SHSL Meteorologist - Tendo Oboro

Oboro is known as the SHSL Meteorologist and typically comes prepared for any weather. She’s serene to the point of confusing, and always seems to be practicing for the camera as the weather lady. Most people don’t know what to make of Oboro, because she acts like the world around her has nothing to do with her. She doesn’t behave like most SHSL students, and in some cases actively distances herself from their antics. Although she’s never very unpleasant, her cool demeanor and endless grace make her frightening to others. She’s said to have something of a sadistic streak, but that may just be rumor.


	2. Lucky Star

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the most part the story will be told in 3rd person, except for some memories/thoughts from Kaya the narrator of this which would be in 1st person.
> 
> I'll make sure to keep them separated as much as possible so it doesn't get too confusing with any possible POV shifts.

_Hope's Peak Academy is said to be the best of the best in the country. Otherwise, what's the point, right?_

_It's said that if you can get into Hope's Peak Academy and graduate, you're set for life. That's what they say at least. And Hope's Peak is constantly scouting talent to add to its ranks because you can't just apply to get in, you have to be invited. And to be invited you have to be the best at what you do._

_Everything else doesn't matter._

_And that... is how I ended up at this school._

_My name is Nishikado Kaya. A third year student at Hope's Peak Academy, Class 76-B. And I'm the Super High School Level Cyclist. I've won awards all over the world for being a cycling prodigy and there's nothing I enjoy more than riding my bike around and feeling myself almost flying... I was scouted to Hope's Peak after I won the Tour de France. But if you know anything about cycling, then you know the Tour de France is only for men. I basically had to pull a Mulan to do it, but long story short, I entered as a man and won. It was a whole big thing, and suffice it to say that anyone who helped me lost out when it all came to light because... that was how I got scouted._

_And when I fessed up, Hope's Peak still wanted me to join but... to get to Hope's Peak I had to step over many friends. I don't think they forgave me. I did ruin most of them. But I'm here now. And I can't go back. I absolutely can't go back._

_That's always been my policy. It doesn't matter if I'm hated. I absolutely must succeed._

_And that's how it was until... "it" happened._

~ ~ ~ **The First Incident** ~ ~ ~

It's the day of the practical exams and technically we all should be going...

But there are so many kids that they have to call us to get ready. It's always going to be delayed, and mostly everyone else will go tomorrow. I already won my prize; another cycling medal (this time for women) and that was all that was required.

Some people with practical skills need to demonstrate them. For the athletes, it's pretty easy. You just win something. I'd rather have to do that than do what the other people in my class might have to do.

The athletes like Tatsuma Daisuke, Sakurai Konoe, and Utsumi Shirahase - and me - are all done. We've all passed our trials, done the thing, won the thing, blah blah blah...

Tatsuma's an archer and a damn good one. They call him the "Scarlet Archer" and I guess that works for him because he's always wearing red. He always looks like a punk though. I don't know why he carries the bow around though. Like, dude, what are you doing? Who are you going to shoot at? Just leave it in a locker or something. We get it, you're the Archer.

Like, come on. I don't bring my bike with me everywhere and I certainly wouldn't have it strapped to my back at all times. Still, Tatsuma's nice enough. Kind of an idiot. But... Well, how smart would you expect someone to be if they always carry around a Japanese longbow?

Sakurai's a rugby player. I have no idea how you play rugby. All I know is he's a Fly-Half, and that's apparently a big deal. He's got muscles for days and I gotta admit, I do like his legs. The short shorts definitely work on him, even though I think he wears some kind of tights or jammers underneath. The view's always nice if you know what I mean. Those long knee-high socks definitely make a statement. And it's, 'Look at my legs!' I'd make a pass at him, but I don't think I'm his type. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it...?

Plus he's dating someone. I'm definitely not going down that route. At least Sakurai's capable. Have no idea why he hangs around with Tatsuma.

And Utsumi is pretty nice but damn is she buff. I guess you have to be if you're Super High School Level Weightlifter. I don't know how she does it but this girl looks like she could ruin lives with her thighs. Still, kind of a rebel to have her hair dyed blonde like that. Or maybe that's because I've never dyed my hair. 

She's really nice. And I can't say many bad things about her... mostly because I think she could absolutely take me out. She seems like there's something dark under the surface. I don't want to be the one who brings it out, you know?

Everyone else...?

The simple truth is that we wouldn't be friends if it weren't for school life. I would never hang out with a Ventriloquist or a Meteorologist or an Archer under normal circumstances. They're lovely garbage fire unique snowflakes, but I came here for me.

Even my two best friends, Kogure Chisato and Okui Ayumu... We're all just here for ourselves.

That's why, even when I'm surrounded by my "friends"... I can't help but feel lonely. We're only friends until graduation. And I graduate this year. We'll probably never speak again after graduation.

Having the Lucky Student being weird around me, or having more bread and muffins than you'd even know what to do with when the Baker is up to something... That's just how my life is. 

And it's really weird. If you think having the SHSL Wildlife Conservationist dictating everything with the SHSL Director like some bizarre nature documentary isn't weird, you're absolutely wrong. 

Although, I guess this qualifies as a monologue from me, so maybe I'm just as fucking weird as everyone else.

Most of them are what you'd consider normal talents or eccentrics. Normal talents would be like Yuuhi Rivera, the half-Spanish kid who's the Super High School Linguist. He's... cold. Even for a regular person, just cold.

Or something mundane like Ebihara Shoko, the Super High School Veterinarian. Those talents at least make sense. Though, Shoko and I don't like each other. I find her boring, she finds me bitchy. We're both right.

But when you're here... you learn real quick that the eccentrics are the worst.

Not that I hate all of them, but everyone in this class - me included - is a human disaster. 

There's no way we should be as good as we are at what we do, and some of our talents are just bizarre ones or they seem so crazy you'd never think to come here for them.

I have seen some strange things here. I've seen fights, and explosions, and human garbage fires just waiting for someone to light them up. And I'm pretty sure a few of the students here have killed people before. Are we harboring criminals? 

I... I just don't get it.

Everyone here is just so fucking weird.

I say that in the nicest way possible. I've known these garbage fires for almost three years and they do make me happy, and we do get along for the most part. But...

I'm ultimately just here for myself.

Out there, you're by yourself. Being able to recognize that... Maybe that's my own "despair" as he would say. I've never been a Hopebot like him.

All I've got in here is myself. Anyone who says otherwise is fooling themselves.

~ ~ ~ 

Nishikado Kaya stares sideways at the bizarre puppetshow that has taken up center stage in the 76-B classroom.

Souma Matsuri - the SHSL Ventriloquist - has two or three puppets up at a time under some rinkydink puppet theater showcase. It looks like a miniature theater stage with her hands popping out.

"Bro. You know I love your sister." The one puppet says, in a completely spot-on impression of Sakurai, the SHSL Rugby Star. The puppet is wearing a miniature version of his team jersey, and even has his number on it.

"Yeah, Bro." Another spot-on impersonation of Tatsuma, the SHSL Archer, wearing a mini version of the archer's keikogi and hakama pants.

"But... Bro... The truth is... I..."

"Yeah, Bro?"

"I love... YOUR MOTHER!"

"What." Sakurai quirks a brow. Tatsuma laughs extremely loudly at this.

"I love my mom too, it's fine."

"..." He looks away, confused.

"And for today's forecast..." An airy spot-on impression of Tendo Oboro, the SHSL Meteorologist follows. The puppet is wearing a yellow raincoat and has a cocktail umbrella as a prop.

"Oh, is it my turn?" Tendo Oboro, the real one, is confused but also amused. She doesn't have the raincoat or umbrella on, but she's usually prepared for the weather. Her hair is tied back in a long braid.

"Today's forecast calls for cloudy with a chance of... WORLD DOMINATION."

"Ah, yes. Well, that's true enough." She smiles.

"...I don't get it." Yuuhi Rivera, red-haired and green-eyed could not look more out of place with them, but he is half-Japanese and half-Spanish. Originally, he's from Spain, his father's an ambassador for Madrid. But his mother is from Okinawa. "Are these non-sequitors...?"

"My name is Kaya and I hate the world!" A puppet of Kaya, in her cycling uniform shows up next. Her voice can't really sound that malicious, can it? But people laugh.

"Fuck, yes, I do. Matsuri, you know me too well." She says quietly before applauding sarcastically, and the puppet Kaya takes a bow.

"Oh, come on, Kaya... You don't hate the whole world, do you?" A puppet version of Chisato pops up with little braided pigtails. Kogure Chisato is her best friend and typically a tag-along. As the SHSL Carpenter, she's maybe a little more fundamentally talented in terms of what she can accomplish in terms of making money, while Kaya is an athlete.

"Well, okay, not the whole entire world. Just the part with all of YOU in it."

"..." Kaya feels herself redden at the words. She isn't that nasty, is she? She reddens even more when she hears the rest of the class chuckle along.

Even Chisato - traitor - laughs with her actual pigtails reaching the small of her back.

"Matsunaga." A puppet of Yuuhi pops up, red hair and cool demeanor.

"Rivera." A puppet of Matsunaga Sorata, the SHSL Acrobat, a punk-like puppet with gloomy eyes and bleached bangs to match the actual Matsunaga shows up.

"We must duel each other for survival."

"Mm. Yes."

"...Why are we dueling?" Yuuhi flinches. "Survive what?"

"Your weapon of choice, Rivera?" The puppet Matsunaga challenges.

"...Tango. I lead."

"We'll see about that."

"Olé."

The two puppets begin to "dance" the tango.

"...The fuck are you doing, Souma?" 

Matsunaga - the real one (who would look much scarier if he weren't in a black unitard and a white button-down shirt tied around his waist) - shoots an accusing look at the puppets who quickly disappear under the "stage".

Out pops Souma Matsuri, like a jack in the box - plain-jane Matsuri, short brown hair and glasses - holding a bouquet of her puppets. There's one of everyone in the class, and of course, Ginka - a purple haired dummy with poofy round pigtails that look like purple tennis balls - her prized puppet.

Some of the students clap, though for Yuuhi it's a confused golf clap.

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Matsuri says with great gentility.

"...Is that supposed to be your practical exam? You're going to make fun of us in front of judges?" Kaya can't help but say loudly.

"Only the ones who are make-fun-able!" Ginka, who has a raspy squeak of a dummy voice answers and Matsuri's lips never move.

"I want to show the judges how much you all mean to me."

"Aw. That's cute." Tatsuma says, again, too loudly.

"...By saying I'm going to cheat on your sister with your mom?" Sakurai asks, calmly.

Sakurai Konoe is both the SHSL Rugby Star, and the SHSL Yogi... He's used to appearing calm and benevolent, which are admirable qualities for a leader of a sports team. Tatsumi Daisuke, however, has always been louder than anyone else and very flashy for an archer. But his skills with the longbow are considerable.

"Dude, my mom's way hotter than my sister!"

"...I hope you didn't mean that the way it sounded." Yuuhi grimaces.

"If I dated your mother, I might end up your step-dad." He facepalms.

"Mm... Daddy." Tatsuma winks and Sakurai immediately looks away turning four different shades of red in quick succession.

"I hope he meant _that_ the way it sounded!" Ginka's squeak came out with a loud chuckle and Matsuri pats her puppet on the head.

"...Is Yoshiki still not back yet?" 

It's Ebihara Shoko who asks, the SHSL Veterinarian. She's got brown hair tied into a messy bun today, but the most striking feature about her is the number of cuts and bite marks and bruises up and down her arms that are covered in the cutest kitty and puppy bandages anyone has ever seen.

"Wherever the practical exams are, he's there, I imagine." The weightlifter, Utsumi Shirahase speaks. Her voice her clear like a bell. Even though she's sitting down, it's clear why everyone calls her the Amazon. "He'll be back as soon as he can. But I really don't know. Who can say..."

"That's not an answer." Shoko frowns at Shirahase.

"What does a Copyeditor do for a pracical exam...? Correct their grammar when they ask him questions?" 

For once it's not Kaya herself that says it, but her friend Okui Ayumu. Ayumu looks... not unlike a squirrel, short with brown curled hair.

"Speaking of people who are missing, where's Jinichi?" Shoko asks, seeing if the room knows anything. 

The SHSL Baker is Hirano Jinichi. It would be hard to miss that sourpuss.

"Oh! I know! Maybe he has morning sickness!" Ginka says with a chuckle. "He must have... a bun in the oven!"

"...There's something seriously wrong with you." Kaya quips and Chisato also laughs. "Ayumu, don't you know? I thought you were working on like... 'the Best Bakesale Ever'...?"

A joint venture combining the SHSL Salesman and the SHSL Baker. It was a gamble. But it had the potential to pay off big.

"Who knows."

"You should." Kaya furrows her brow.

"Well, I don't. He's probably yelling at his bread."

"Or... Beating his dough!" Ginka says again.

"Same thing, really." Ayumu laughs. "Less icing though."

"You all are so noisy and vulgar..." Oboro mumbles with a pout. "And no one has answered Shoko."

"Mmm... Perfect. Can we get that line once more?"

A man with a shaved head frames Oboro with his hands as if he's behind the camera. At first glance he looks like a baseball player with the baseball cap, but he's actually a Director.

"Zenji, stop being weird." Kaya clucks her tongue at him. Ono Zenji is the SHSL Director. He lives to tell people how to deliver their lines.

"You all are _so_ noisy and vulgar..." Oboro says dramatically. "And no one, not a soul, has answered our dear, dear Shoko..."

"Magnifique!"

"...Guys. Really." Shoko crosses her arms. "Yoshiki? Jinichi? No one knows...?"

"Tachibana still has to do his performance." Yuuhi says quietly. "Whatever it is he'll do."

"There's no need to fear! I gave him a good luck charm~" Ijishima Ran, bubble gum pink hair and too much energy, announces almost as loudly as Tatsuma.

"A good luck charm...?" Oboro cocks her head to the side.

"A blessed talisman. Great Blessing, it said! I made it myself."

"So you handed him your trash...?" Oboro smiles and if it bothers Ran, she makes no face to show it.

"There is nothing to fear when luck is on your side. Yoshiki, you are blessed this day!"

And from the other side of campus... an explosion rings out. And the gym becomes a fireball.

"The fuck...?" Kaya looks out the window as now everyone is gathered there. Not just them, but other students stop to stare at the explosion, dumbfounded.

"...Yoshiki." Shoko covers her mouth.

"We need to... to... to..." Tatsuma stumbles with his words.

"I'm calling campus security." Sakurai says immediately.

"Holy shit was Tachibana in there?" Matsunaga leans closer to the window.

"...He'll be okay." Ran says, voice trembling. "I... I gave him a lucky charm. Yoshiki's... just fine."

"Holy shit." Ayumu says softly to himself.

"What... the fuck is going on?" Kaya manages to say at last.


	3. Between the Sword and the Wall

"Hey, Tachibana! You're spacing out again!" Tatsuma Daisuke says way too loudly.

Tachibana Yoshiki nearly jolts from his desk.

"Jesus fuck, Daisuke! Keep your mouth shut. Fucking inside voices..." Kaya scolds him quietly and Daisuke at least has the presence of mind to look remorseful. She drops the politeness of calling him Tatsuma very quickly.

Despite how she feels about everyone, Kaya quickly becomes the mother hen and starts to try to put Yoshiki more at ease.

"Yoshiki, are you okay?" Chisato asks handing him a bottle of water. Chisato normally helps Yoshiki out with his duties, surprisingly good at keeping details and numbers in her mind. Or, maybe that's just the skills of a Carpenter.

It's a day after the explosion at the gym. Three students from their grade were expelled for it.

And for some weird reason there was also a large... Pomeranian?

"I'm... I'm sorry." He says, still trembling. Tachibana Yoshiki is very handsome. He's got shorter black hair and a smooth complexion, very student council-esque. He's not bad to look at, but he was more confident than this before. "I'm... I'm okay. I just... just... Yeah."

"Yoshiki, how about we do some breathing exercises. Those may help calm you." 

Sakurai Konoe steps forward, so close Kaya can see the freckles all over his nose and cheeks. Being out on the sunny fields has done wonders for his tan. His hair looks less controlled than normal... the humidity must be messing with his hair gel, she figures.

"I'm okay... Thank you."

"Are you sure? There are some stretches that also help." 

It's hard to see Konoe as a yoga instructor when he's dressed like he's ready to kick a ball into... whatever rugby players use to kick balls at.

"Um... Well... No. Let's try the... breathing."

As Konoe helps Yoshiki with breathing exercises, Kaya and Shoko move to one side.

"I don't like this." Shoko says whispering.

"Yeah, I know. He's freaking out."

"Well, he's got PTSD or something, right?"

Normally, Kaya and Shoko don't get along. But they are the most outgoing of the girls in class. Technically, Yoshiki is their representative to the student council. And normally, the Copyeditor is the one in charge of things, bringing them to order. It's obvious Yoshiki can't lead them right now though.

"Yeah. Explosions might do that to a person." Kaya's expression seems to say, you really can't be that stupid right?

"That's not what I meant." Shoko frowns. "I mean I'm worried about him. We should be taking him to the hospital or something."

"He already went to the hospital." Yuuhi's way of speaking is decidedly curt. It isn't something he does on purpose but he isn't very delicate with his words. "What else can they do for him."

"Put him in the psych ward or something, I dunno..." Shoko shakes her head.

"We can't force him to leave. He came to class voluntarily. If you want him to go, you need to say something."

"But that's..." Shoko sighed.

"Why isn't anyone doing anything about this...?" Shirahase asks, very quietly. She seems preoccupied. "The three that did it aren't even facing charges."

"Why would they?" Hirano Jinichi, SHSL Baker, who is much more aggressive in his tone than anyone else speaks. He's tall and looks like a typical egghead but wears a chef's jacket and a black apron. "Hope's Peak only cares about its own image. They'd let all of us die before they corrected anything or admitted they were wrong."

"Hey. I don't like management either but that's way too far." Kaya frowns.

"I'm... I'm just glad Yoshiki's okay." Ran is smiling. "My charm worked."

"...Yeah, you keep believing that if that lets you sleep at night." Matsunaga Sorata rolls his eyes. The unitard does him no credit. "Any-fucking-way, I've been practicing my routine for months now and for what? Three lunatics ruined my exam."

"You'll get to take it later, if that's what you're worried about." Yuuhi frowns at him.

"Yeah, seriously. If you're that eager to do flips and get launched out of a cannon, go for it." Kaya rolls her eyes.

"Count backwards from twenty. And breathe full breaths. Alright?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"I'm soooo hungry... Jinichi did you make us something?" Ayumu is whining.

"Why would I?"

"That's like... your job or whatever."

"If you're really that hungry you can go eat the hundreds of loaves of bread I made that are now stale because some psychos thought a bomb was a good way to ruin my life!"

"Inside. Fucking. Voices." Kaya scolds Jinichi.

"Keep breathing, Yoshiki. You'll be okay."

"...It looks like rain." Oboro looks out the window. "I hope everyone brought an umbrella."

"Practice is cancelled, exams are cancelled, some kids are trying to get out of going to school..." Daisuke continues on. "This is fucking bogus..."

"Tatsuma, that's really insensitive." Shirahase frowns at him, her voice cold.

The troubles at campus had been going on for months now. Weird disappearances of staff and personnel, trustees going missing, the bomb...

"Yeah, seriously. A bomb went off. Maybe have a little respect?" Shoko's stare makes Daisuke wilt apologetically.

Kaya smiles. Maybe that's why they hate each other. Kaya and Shoko are too much alike.

"I thought... I was gonna die..." Yoshiki trembles as Konoe holds onto him.

"Hey, now. Relax. You're not there anymore. It can't hurt you now."

"I was... really scared. I... never thought I might die... you know? I... I... I..."

"Someone get me a paper bag. He's starting to hyperventilate."

"...I have plastic is that okay?" Ayumu looks around.

"No. Paper."

"Shit, sorry. No."

"Hey, guys!" A voice says as she enters the room. She's wearing camo print clothes with her uniform. "You would not believe the day I had, there was this big Pomeranian thing and... What the shit is happening with Yoshiki?"

"He's hyperventilating."

"Hell's bells, really..." Mizuno Tsubaki, the SHSL Wildlife Conservationist is always ready to be anyone's mother. "Hey. Yoshiki. Look at me. Hey. Hi. It's Tsubaki. Breathe with me, okay?"

"..." Kaya rolls her eyes and Chisato looks to her, confused. She shrugs helplessly.

"Hey, Yoshiki, did I ever tell you about the time I was in Brazil? So, we're in the Amazon. Everything is hot as balls. I've got mosquito bites the size of grapefruits and then-"

"What are you doing?" Jinichi practically spits when he says it.

"She's trying to distract him, would you leave them alone?" Chisato isn't normally one to be so aggressive but when it comes to Yoshiki... She's always been a little soft on him.

"And then I see this huuuuge thing in the water and I'm like, okay great there's a big old log no big deal. And then it's actually a snake! A big freakin' snake. Like what do you even do in that situation? You leave the snake alone is what you do. Just let it go down the river because you've got panthers and shit to worry about."

"Yes. Scare him with deadly animals. That'll keep his mind from the explosion." Shoko rolls her eyes.

Shirahase moves in closer and holds up her hand, five fingers.

"Tachibana. Focus on the sound of my voice. Look." She begins to count down on her fingers, and then back up. "Five. Four. Three. Two. One. One. Two. Three. Four. Five."

Yoshiki nods, beginning to count with her. "Five. Four. Three. Two. One."

"Shit, I'm sorry I made it worse." Tsubaki's good with animals. Not so great with people. It doesn't help that she always wants to talk about when animals attack.

Shirahase and Yoshiki continue to count until his breathing becomes more normalized.

"...Thank you, Utsumi."

"It's no problem."

"I'm... I think I should go. And lie down."

~ ~ ~

It wasn't that long after that Tachibana Yoshiki was "elected" the Student Council Secretary.

Why? Because the Student Council had died. That metaphorical bombshell went rather poorly with the literal bombshell of the days earlier.

This only gave Yoshiki more things to worry about. It was one thing to be put into a position he had no interest in being in, but it was another to have inherited a position after... after they had died.

And then word came out that they'd been murdered by some... crazy person.

He sat in his seat in the classroom, staring blankly ahead. There was no reaction when people spoke to him, he just stared ahead, looking through everything. If anything, he looked more haggard than before.

"...Fuck, he looks worse." Kaya breathes out.

"...I don't see why he was made the Secretary. He clearly isn't up to the task." Jinichi sneers jealously.

Hirano Jinichi is needlessly meticulous, and a perfectionist. It almost makes sense for a baker, considering how precise calculations and ratios have to be for measuring ingredients or determining how humidity will affect bread but... He always takes it too far.

"Dude. You need to chill out." Daisuke shakes his head. "It's not like he asked for the job."

"Which is the point. I thought we were supposed to have a democracy. What is the point when they pick and choose who they want?"

"Then get mad at the system, not at Yoshiki. Look at him. You think he wanted this either?" Kaya gestures dramatically towards Yoshiki, like the most sarcastic magician in the world revealing something.

"Your jealousy only hinders your own progress forward." Konoe says, meditating on top of his desk in the lotus position.

"Frankly, you aren't qualified, are you?" Yuuhi's tone isn't meant to be abrasive, but his words do hurt. "You're a baker, he's a copyeditor. He has more experience with making notes and corrections on things. You're something of a mathematician and a chemist, but what do you know about taking notes?"

"Dude. Waaaay harsh." Ayumu snickers.

Jinichi is turning unsightly red.

"Anyway, who cares? It's not like the school's gonna be open for too much longer, right?" Mizuno Tsubaki's flippant tone catches everyone off-guard.

"...What makes you say that?" Ran's cheery demeanor has soured somewhat.

"People died. The Reserve kids are rioting... They're gonna shut us down. And we can go home."

"If the Reserve Course students riot, how do we get out?" Matsuri's own voice is shaky and unsure. "We... should stay on campus here."

"...They're not gonna kill us." Tsubaki gives a chuckle. "I mean... Right? They're... not batshit."

"No one should be going near the Reserve Course students. If they wanna raise hell, fine. Leave me out of it. I'll just stay here." Matsunaga's been doing handstand pushups for the past hour. From this angle, his hair is matted with sweat, and the tattoos on his chest and arms are more visible than before. "Fuck all of them, let them get taken down by police and then we go."

"...I think that's probably the safest option." Shirahase offers a small smile. "This is a matter for security and the police."

"Oh... It's raining again. Did I bring an umbrella... What was I thinking..." 

"They're dead."

Yoshiki's words strike a chord of fear in everyone.

"Who's dead?" Kaya feels anxiety well up in her stomach.

"...The Student Council... is dead."

"Yeah, we know that."

"...But they don't care about us..." Yoshiki adds, gloomy and cold. "The police weren't called for that... were they? Security guards were found dead... People are dying... No one cares..."

"Well, we agree on that." Jinichi scoffs.

"Hey. Yoshiki... It's going to be okay." Chisato smiles sweetly at him. Kaya tries not to roll her eyes. Now is not the time to make a move on a guy. "We're all gonna get out of here."

"..."

"And back to blue screen of death, I guess." Matsunaga chuckles.

"...Oh, it's raining so hard too."

"Once more, with feeling!" Zenji directs Oboro who immediately goes into a swooning voice.

"Oh! It's raining... so hard... too..."

"Mm... Could use work. More fearful, less wistful."

"Excuse me." She looks legitimately stung by Zenji's words.

"Oh my God, you two are so exhausting." Shoko shakes her head. "Fuck this, I think I need some air."

"Shoko, it's not safe!" Ran follows after her.

Almost immediately, there are shrieks from the hallway.

"Someone... help!"

Shirahase and Konoe are the first to move, and Konoe nearly gets decked by someone he's never seen before holding a fire extinguisher as a weapon.

"Watch out!" Shirahase rushes by and pulls the fire extinguisher from the student before giving them a substantial kick that knocks them flat.

"Ran, are you alright?" As Shirahase subdues the person - who must be a Reserve Course student, she figures - Konoe kneels down to Ran who is wide-eyed and starting to cry.

"He... He swung.. He swung. He swung. At me..." She continues. "And... And a girl... A girl with a knife! A big army knife!"

"A what?"

"Ran. It's alright. He can't hurt you now. Can you hear me?" Konoe speaks softly to her.

"Fuck... Guys... Yoshiki's... Uh... Shaking?"

"Daisuke, I can only handle one crisis at a time. Try counting with him."

Even Konoe's calm demeanor falters when so much happens at once.

Shoko helps Ran up, who is still shaken but alright.

"Ijishima. You're safe?"

"Yes. I'm... I'm sorry. I freaked out a little, Shirahase."

"And you, Ebihara?"

"...Yeah. I'm... I'm calling security. Can you keep him... still?" 

Shoko looks around. She doesn't want to say anything, but she also was sure she saw the girl with the army knife. She didn't hear anything like screaming, but... Why is there the smell of blood?

"Sure." Shirahase kneels with her weight on the Reserve Course student.

They're all wondering how one got this close to them. And they're all wondering where the other students are. But for now, they call security.

~ ~ ~

The entire thing takes way too long. Security is spread thin, and even though Sakakura Juzo is the one in charge of security, there's not much he can do but shake his head at the Reserve Course student as his men take him away.

"He swung at you?" Sakakura looks at Ran, who is reluctant to leave Shirahase's side.

"...Yes."

"He used a fire extinguisher. But..." Shirahase looks at Sakakura seriously. "He didn't seem entirely... with it."

"...Yeah." Sakakura pinches the bridge of his nose. "You guys should move somewhere safer. Somewhere with more locks and less windows."

"But... Where would we go?" Shoko is unnerved, more than anyone... except maybe Yoshiki.

"Head to the dorms. The rooms should lock. You're safer there than in the classrooms here." He states simply.

"We live in different dorms, though!" Jinichi is eager to fight with Sakakura, who, as far as he's concerned, has done nothing. He's the head of security. There must be more that he could be doing.

"Then double up in one dorm and stick together. I don't know what to tell you!"

Between the disappearances and Munakata's words on the matter, Sakakura's got little patience. And he wasn't big on patience in the first place.

"Can't you keep them under control?!"

"I'm...!" He nearly yells back. He needs to remain calm. He still has to find Enoshima and see if Munakata was right to look into her. "...I'm trying. Okay? I've got a lead and I need to go for it. But you guys should stay safe and together. It isn't safe right now to be alone."

"...We'll contact you if we need you." Konoe says, trying to be the diplomatic one.

"Yeah. Try and stay in touch then. I can't promise I'll come myself, but I definitely won't let anything bad happen to you."

And with that, Sakakura has his men escort the Reserve Course student away.

Ran still trembles, and Shoko can't help but wonder why everything smells like blood.

~ ~ ~

Classes don't meet again. They haven't met in months now. There are riots from the Reserve Course students, explosions on campus, dead or missing students... And throughout it, no one really understands what's going on.

Shoko herself has nightmares about the girl with the army knife, and she can swear she sees her in passing near the dorms. More and more students seem to be disappearing or leaving the school. The sixteen of them are reluctant to leave each other's sides however.

Even Kaya, for all her disdainful behavior of the other fifteen, doesn't want to face this alone.

Most days they go to their classroom, wait for someone to show up to teach them (and they never do), and then go back to the dorm. Soon, however, even the dorm remains empty except for them. When they call in to security, they don't get Sakakura but they are told that things are dangeorus outside and to stay on campus where it's safe.

Even after telling their loved ones this, some of them still urge them to come home. That riots have begun breaking out all over the world. But, they have no real way to get to them.

Most of them don't drive, and they get the impression that public transportation has been messed up for months.

They soon decide to stop attending classes permanently. The riots intensify, and they bunker down. Management proves almost entirely inept, except for the letters that only a handful of them receive saying that the school is closing down.

"I guess class is cancelled? Finally." Ayumu yawns loudly. The dorm is unsurprisingly empty.

"The world's going apeshit and that's what you're thinking about?" Kaya rolls her eyes. "You're unbelievable."

"What? You were thinking it too!"

"No, I was thinking, 'Gee, isn't it shitty that we nearly get murdered by talentless losers and now the world decides to go into Apocalypse Mode?' ...I was not thinking about how nice it is to not have to go to class."

"...Not even our homeroom teacher has gotten in contact with us." Chisato takes a deep breath. "Not yesterday or the day before that either."

Not for months.

"Emergency faculty meeting?" Daisuke suggests, trying to keep it cheerful. No one actually believes him.

"...I'm all wet." Oboro mumbles. It's been raining an awful lot, and she never did feel brave enough to grab her own umbrella from her dorm.

"Mm... all WET, you say?"

"...Matsuri, now is not the time for that."

"Huehuehue..."

"Do... Do we barricade things?" Tsubaki wasn't as concerned, but now that someone has already tried to hurt one of them, she can't stop the tremor in her voice. "Like... Doors and windows? Because... People keep coming around and it's making me nervous."

"...We can't lock everyone out, we aren't the only ones who live here." Yuuhi says dismissively. There were others. At one point.

"But... What if they..."

"We kick their asses!" Matsunaga says loudly. "Oh. Sorry, Yoshiki."

They've actually bonded more throughout the entire ordeal. Some of them feel more comfortable addressing each other by their first names... with the exception of a few reserved hold-outs.

"We should only lock things down as a last resort." Although Yuuhi says it, there's a great amount of unease that permeates the room. 

"Fuck... Yuuhi, we need to protect ourselves. We are at the last resort." Kaya crosses her arms and scowls.

"You want to doom outsiders and just... leave them out there if something bad happens?"

"Kaya's not entirely wrong." Chisato stands up for Kaya's point of view. "We do need to worry about ourselves, right?"

"Then we simply barricade the doors." Jinichi steps up now. "And we can have people on watch in case someone comes."

"And if they actually live here, how would we know? We can't assume that we'd know. We might just be letting people in who... might want to hurt us." Shoko's voice catches.

She's thinking about the soldier girl with the knife.

"Then we either barricade ourselves inside, or we don't." Yuuhi sighs deeply. He can understand their fear. But it's premature at this point, he thinks. 

"...I vote we barricade ourselves in." Ran says, no more than a squeak.

Ran, Kaya, Chisato, Ayumu, Tsubaki, Jinichi, Yoshiki, and Shoko are in agreement.

Yuuhi, Konoe, Daisuke, Shirahase, and Matsunaga stand opposed. Unsurprisingly, it's mostly the athletes who think they'll be alright, but for those without talents like muscles, everything is very scary to them.

And Oboro, Zenji, and Matsuri are undecided. Rather than let the class be divided in an even split, they just say that the group of eight voting to barricade things has won the movement.

Although he's opposed to it, Yuuhi consents and they begin to barricade the doors.

"Sorry you got outvoted." Kaya says, trying to be nice to Yuuhi as they push furniture up against the doors.

"I don't care about that." 

"Really? You seem mad."

"...We're potentially leaving people out there to get hurt. If things are so bad that our lives are in danger, then we're stealing from people right now."

Stealing shelter, he means.

He worries about the people outside. He worries that people are going to become too isolated and insular. He worries the end is already here and people have given up hope.

"It's... them or us."

"That's not my vision of hope." Yuuhi answers simply.

"Hah. You sound like Munakata. Meep mork, I am Hopebot!" She says laughing. 

Yuuhi stares at her confused. Of course he remembers Munakata. The man is still involved in Hope's Peak, and he was a notable Student Council President. He was very influential. Maybe... Maybe even inspiring. Actually, yes. Definitely inspiring.

"...Meep mork?"

"...Had to be there I guess."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The exact timeline for this is purposefully a little fuzzy and vague, so I apologize. Technically the Tragedy takes place about a year before the first Killing Game so I'm mostly imagining months and months of unrest.
> 
> I'm also imagining that while they're barricading themselves in, that's when a lot of the things like explosions and the deaths of most of the students occur.


	4. Prelude to Despair

_Looking back, I wish Yuuhi had been right. I wish he'd been right that we shouldn't have barricaded ourselves in. But I think that's the only reason we all lived as long as we did._

_The world went fucking crazy while we were locked in the dormitory. Some people did come knocking, but... The campus was overrun by Reserve Course students. They were... wrong. Something about them was just... wrong._

_And then things started blowing up, sometimes literally. We didn't know what was happening. All we knew was that we couldn't go outside. Sakakura told us to stay safe, but then we couldn't reach him. Or anyone, really. Some of the lines were disconnected, and others hadn't been working. The worst was that some of us didn't have chargers for our phones with us so we had to make do with what he had... Landlines that weren't always reliable, and many that were hard to find. Our cellphones seemed like a good idea but we ran out of power too quickly._

_Yoshiki would just shake whenever an explosion went off..._

_We tried to make what we had last. We even broke into the other rooms to see if people had food. And for a while we were good. There was still water and power, but..._

_Then it went out._

_Once we lost power, we lost the freezers. And once we lost the freezers, half our food supply was gone. It'd been like... I don't know... maybe a week since we holed up? Or two? We tried to keep up with the news or the internet but it all cut out after a while. And that was before the power went out. Once it did go out, though, there was no way to keep our phones charged anyway._

_Fuck, it was like a zombie movie._

_A group of dumbass survivors trying to figure out what to do next. We had no connection with the outside world, or security, or the police... We didn't even know what was happening at the time. We'd... Some of us were able to talk to our parents or whatever before but... How long had we been without power?_

_I... I still have no idea what happened with my parents. I'd been... afraid to talk to them. We didn't always get along. I don't think they were even good parents because of the way they treated us sometimes but... I waited too long, and now it doesn't matter._

_I couldn't imagine what Yuuhi was thinking with his family over on the other side of the world. Or any of us, really. We all had family or friends and we just... couldn't get through._

_One day... We ran out of food. And that's... how we ended up meeting **him**._

~ ~ ~ 

Zenji's shaved head was starting to grow hair again under the baseball cap. He'd had a hard time finding something that would trim it. His electric razor had been an unforntuate casualty of the power outage.

"Any sign of anything?" Mizuno Tsubaki, SHSL Wildlife Conservationist spoke over a walkie-talkie they'd found in the dorms.

"I don't see anyone. Over." Tatsuma Daisuke, SHSL Archer answered her. "How about you? Over?"

"Uhh... I see... Smoke. And... Red skies. Uhh... Over?"

"...Shit."

"What?"

"Nothing. Just reacting. Over."

"You want to head back, Zenji?" She looks over her shoulder to Zenji.

"No, no, no. Your delivery was all wrong." Zenji chides her.

"My what?"

"You were supposed to sound brave and in control. You sound... Weak."

"I'm gonna kick your ass if you don't knock that off. Do I look like I'm in the mood for you?"

"...Oboro understands me." He sighs dramatically.

"Daisuke, who are you with?" She pauses. Is it too direct to call him by his first name? Does that even matter at this point? "Oh. Wait. Over."

"Jinichi and Konoe are here. Why? Over."

"...Just wondering why you guys set me up on the worst blind date ever with Scorsese. Over."

"Don't blame me. It was either him or Jinichi. Over."

Daisuke groans before handing the walkie-talkie to Sakurai Konoe. He readies his bow quietly. He can't talk on it and shoot at the same time... If he needs to.

"Um... Daisuke just gave me the thing so it's me. Hello. Over." Konoe stupidly waves at the walkie-talkie while he speaks as if someone can see it. Jinichi facepalms loudly.

"You guys aren't finding any food?" She says as she and Zenji sneak along one side of the building. The Reserve Students are bad enough... but finding them dead... dead bodies lying on the ground, some burning... It was all too much. "We're just finding more... dead people. Over."

"It's the same over here. Over." Konoe answers simply.

Daisuke grumbles as they continue to search. 

"What the fuck happened... Why... did everyone just lose their minds?"

"I don't know." Konoe answers simply. "Some of it looks like suicide but... Some of it looks like murder."

"...Why did you have to say that out loud." Daisuke feels a chill roll up his spine. He holds the bow in place, an arrow loaded.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trouble you."

"Would you two be quiet?" Jinichi says shushing them, louder than either of them.

"...We're going to have to find a different place to stay." Daisuke says, quieter now. "The dorms are bust. We've got... no food... All we've got is water. And we're too far away from food."

"And what do you want us to do? Move to a different less secure place? At least we have beds!" Jinichi angrily whispers at him.

"We have no food." Daisuke runs a hand through his bleached out hair which is starting to show some black in it now, and loosens his red tie a bit. The whole thing has made him nervous, even with Konoe there to keep him calm.

"...I would rather sleep on the floor than starve." Konoe adds quietly.

"What was that? Over." Tsubaki can hear them because Konoe has the button pressed down.

"Sorry, they're arguing, Mizuno. Over."

"Oh... Um... Well, why don't we head back. It isn't safe to be out this long, probably. Over."

"You're sure? We can keep looking." Konoe pauses. "Over, sorry."

"It's just that... we can't find any food without going into the other buildings. I don't want to do it all on our own, you know? Over."

"..." Konoe can understand her trepidation.

Jinichi takes the walkie-talkie from him.

"This is Jinichi, and we have to keep our group small or people are going to notice us, over."

"...You're not wrong. But..." Tsubaki sighs into the walkie-talkie. "I think we need to move to a different building. And we can't do that unless we're together. Over."

"Fine. Forget it. We'll just go back to the dorms and see everyone. Over." Jinichi takes off his glasses after he hands the walkie-talkie back to Konoe and rubs his eyes.

~ ~ ~ 

Shirahase, Shoko, and Oboro are on guard duty and are able to take down the barricade to let the others in before putting it back up. It's not a very strong barricade, all things considered, but it does keep the door closed.

Shoko hates guard duty. She keeps feeling like she's seeing the soldier girl but... recently she hasn't.

"No luck?" Yoshiki, who had calmed down more by now over time is finally able to take more of a leadership role. It isn't that he's totally better, but he does much better when there are no loud noises.

"Sorry." Tsubaki says as Zenji comes up behind her.

"We looked all over, but we won't find anything out in the open." Zenji scratches his head underneath a baseball cap.

"I'm inclined to agree." Konoe says plainly. "The campus is a disaster. There are people around, rioters have broken the walls in places... I haven't seen any students still alive."

"..." Shoko looks down, quietly when she hears this. She'd had friends in other classes. She wonders how they're doing.

"...I'm still not getting anything with my e-handbook." Yuuhi mentions this quietly. Usually the handbook was used to deliver messages or alerts, but there had been no new updates. "Either the network is down, or..."

"Or no one's there who can send shit out." Matsunaga supplies the answer.

"Hey, stay on topic." Kaya grumbles. "The problem we have is that we're out of food. And we can't get any without heading to a different building, right?"

"Yeah, but what's the point of going to a new building?" Ayumu half-laughs as he speaks. "We just stay there until we run out of food again? And then the next one? How long until there's no food left on campus?"

"..."

It's a frustrating thought. On campus they had the occasional run-in with a rioter, but the dorms were mostly secure and did have things that made life easier. The problem was supplies. And now that the power was out, they couldn't wash their clothes either, at least not comfortably.

"There was one thing I noticed while we were out." Daisuke speaks and the others give him a confused look.

"What was it?" Kaya latches onto any hope that he's going to say something good.

"...Well, I can't say for sure but when I was looking around I thought I saw some of the lights flicker in the Student Center. There's also the Administration building right next to it, and I think the Science building... but I didn't see any lights there."

"You what?!" Jinichi glares at him. "You didn't say anything! We were right there!"

"Because it was only for a few seconds, and I thought..." He grits his teeth. "I thought I was just losing it."

"The Student Center is right by the big school building, correct?" It's Oboro who speaks, as if in a dream. "That school building is the one with the pool and the dormitories attached to it...?"

"It's also got the greenhouse. We..." Ran has begun smiling. "We could grow food there."

"We aren't going to live here forever." Kaya frowns at her. "Who has time to grow food? I want out!"

"Kaya..." Chisato tugs at her arm to keep her calm.

Kaya hadn't realized she'd yelled it. "Sorry."

"...Sokay." Ran says timidly.

"Well, what do you all think?" Yoshiki turns to everyone.

"...You think we should all go together?" Shirahase is worried by the idea of it. "Wouldn't that be hard to manage with sixteen of us?"

"Not to mention we'd be sitting ducks." Kaya grumbles before shaking out her hair angrily. "I can't take this anymore... I just... I wanna go home."

"We can't." Yuuhi's words hit her hard. "Not now. Maybe not for a while."

"Shut up! I know that!"

"Then what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to vent!"

"It seems that we need to make a decision." Oboro ignores the two. "I, for one, would say the Student Center is the best place for us. Regardless of electricity, it does have the cafeteria."

The thought of food makes some of them squirm uncomfortably as their stomachs growl.

"...And there are lots of classrooms. A library. The computer lab. Even just the storeroom would be fine." Ran nods, quietly. "I think maybe they have a laundromat there too. Anything like that'd be fine..."

"Fine for what?" Kaya's words make Ran flinch. "...Sorry. I... I mean, what good does that do us? Books and computers? That only helps if they've got power. Same with the cafeteria if the freezers are down."

"But they would have some food. Canned food, non-perishables... Even things like instant noodles or dried potatoes would be alright." Oboro counters.

"...And the cafeteria would have kitchens. Actual kitchens. And probably running water."

"So, what, we sleep on the floors?" Ayumu laughs again.

"The Student Center has lounges. The library has couches." Yoshiki shakes his head. "Assuming it's secure, we would be reasonably comfortable, probably."

"And even if they don't have those things, sleeping on the floor is not that bad." Konoe's words get drowned out by Ayumu whining.

"I think it's a bit dangerous to go all at once, but I also don't want to split us up..."

"You can't have it both ways!" Jinichi growls at her.

"Let's go together!" Matsuri's puppet speaks for her. "We can split up and go for the same place!"

"...You mean, divide ourselves into smaller groups? But still all go to the Student Center?"

"Yup, yup!"

"That's... better than anyone else's plan so far." Shoko sighs which quickly becomes a whinge. "Let's just all go like Matsuri said."

"There's sixteen of us. Maybe groups of four? Like our scouting parties?"

After a lot of needless debate and back and forth the groups were...

> \- Oboro, Zenji, Kaya, and Matsunaga  
>  \- Matsuri, Tsubaki, Yoshiki, and Shirahase  
>  \- Konoe, Yuuhi, Ran, and Jinichi  
>  \- Daisuke, Chisato, Ayumu, and Shoko

~ ~ ~

Kaya's group was surprisingly quicker than the others. She knew that she was probably the fastest runner, but she had no idea that Matsunaga and Oboro would be able to keep up with her so well.

Zenji was a little hopeless when it came to running, and it had always been that way.

The four of them had managed to escape the notice of the rioters - most of them were wearing strange bear helmets, half black and half white. 

Daisuke's group arrived in formation next. He was cautiously leading them with his bow in hand, arrow notched just in case. Shoko did her best to hurry Ayumu along who complained under his breath.

The third to arrive was the group led by Yoshiki. They were calm and balanced for the most part. They had had a few close calls, but Matsuri was able to throw her voice to lure guards away. Seeing her do it was like something out of a video game.

And finally, the group with Yuuhi and Konoe brought up the rear. Ran and Jinichi were probably the two loudest people, aside from Daisuke. Having them on the same team was probably a mistake for a stealth mission, because Ran was easily frightened and Jinichi was easily angered.

Daisuke kept vigil with his bow, and Matsuri was assisting. The others crowded around the entrance to the Student Center. This was where people came to formally register. The registrar's office, the financial center... It had libraries, a cafeteria, rooms for studying... If even just the storehouse was in tact, they could make a go of it.

"...The windows are barred." Matsunaga reported.

"Can you get in?" Kaya looked to him.

"Mm... Possibly."

The windows had metal shutters over them, but they were more like bars, big thick ones as big as pipes. Matsunaga was the SHSL Acrobat, not the SHSL Contortionist... But for him, there might still be a way.

"...But... What's the deal with the school here...?"

Zenji looked up at the older school building. It had a pool, a gym, dozens of classrooms, and dorms... and it was so close to the Student Center. But everything was completely barred.

"Ah... It looks like someone barricaded themselves in too." Oboro said pointing to where the windows were. Beyond the glass, there were thick sheets of metal, probably bolted to the wall. "How would we get in..."

"Hey, Sorata." Zenji calls over to Matsunaga casually. Most people called him Matsunaga. It was strange to hear his first name used. "Can you open up these windows?"

"...Doubtful." He says quietly looking at them. It's a definite challenge. Even if he could get through the glass, he can't slip through solid matter. "Perhaps the door."

The lock there was definitely a lock. If he could break through it, then yes, they could enter.

"Imagine how nice it'll be to sleep in a bed..." Zenji giggles to himself.

"Were we not already sleeping in beds?" Oboro furrows a brow.

"Ooh... But... Can you say that more... Seductively? Seductive with a hint of tragedy..."

Oboro assumes a melodramatically sexy pose, pulling her hair out of the braid she's been wearing to let it tumble in messy cascades.

"Were we not...."

"Would you two cut it out!" Kaya whispers at them angrily.

"Mm... Kaya, could you do that with more body language? Something more... aggressive."

"I've got an aggressive gesture I can show you, if you really want to see it."

"Quiet." Matsunaga says and pulls out a scarf from... where did he get the scarf?... adjusting it over his mouth, probably to muffle sound? Maybe? Or is he cold... "We are not alone."

"What do you want to do?" Yuuhi looks to Yoshiki who contemplates the situation.

"We're too far out in the open." Yoshiki looks around. "Let's... Let's just get inside a building."

"Which one?" Shoko stands by the Student Center, admiring the door. It lurks sturdier than you'd expect.

"We can try them both, can't we?" Ran asks quietly, quieter than she's used to. Her pink hair bounces in curls.

"...I suppose that's fine." Yoshiki agrees. "Matsunaga, can you see what you can do for that door to the building? We'll try the other."

"Yeah, yeah..." Matsunaga mutters before approaching the large door.

Kaya can see... that there's a mounted turret on the door. She pulls Oboro back, but Zenji and Matsunaga don't seem to care.

On the other side, the door to the Student Center is barred shut by something heavy. Konoe and Shirahase are unable to get it to budge, even as they push.

"This... isn't working..." Konoe manages to say, shoulder starting to hurt.

"...Well, if the Rugby Star and the Weightlifter can't do it..." Tsubaki mumbles before looking up to the grates on the windows.

"Hey, Jinichi, can you give me a boost?" Tsubaki calls over to him. Jinichi's not the tallest, but she doesn't want to interrupt the athletes and their efforts.

Daisuke continues to stand guard with his bow.

"You should step aside." Matsunaga says as he pulls out what looks like a knife with multiple attachments.

"Mmm... Such a cool line... Can you do it again? Really bring out the anti-hero within. Pretty please for me?"

"..." Matsunaga rolls his eyes and wipes sweat from his brow.

The army knife and its attachments are a little different from standard ones. These seem to be better for picking locks.

Zenji backs up from him, making L's out of his hands as if to frame a shot.

"Very nice, very nice... A suspenseful bit of music. The anti-hero tries to pick the lock, time is of the essence... 'Don't rush me, I'm doing the best I can, damn it!' he shouts to his partner who is suspended from mid-air by a wire, waiting to steal the prized painting..."

"Painting? Ridiculous. You'd never get away with something like that. Everyone would know it was stolen if it's that valuable." Zenji speaks to himself as he continues to work on the lock. There's a strange electronic lock he doesn't know how to deal with. This isn't the typical metal monstrosities he's used to. 

"And... then a tragedy strikes!"

A buzzer sounds from the door as Matsunaga continues to work on it. He flinches hearing that he's tripped some kind of alarm, but it was inevitable. He doesn't know the password and trying to bypass the electronics of it is more difficult than the old-fashioned locks.

"Fuck." He swears under his breath.

"What happened? Tragedy struck?" Zenji laughs and takes a step forward.

When that happens, the mounted turret on the wall moves with a mechanical whirl like the zoom of a camera. It settles onto Zenji who can only stare up in wonderment before the turret fires like a gattling gun.

Kaya and Oboro watch in horror, dumbfounded as a full spray of gatling chambers empty into Zenji's chest and abdomen, leaving bloody splashes on the front steps of the building.

There's a look of horror and confusion on Zenji's face as if he can't understand what's happening before he leans back on himself like a lawn chair being folded the wrong way slipping down the stairs as blood runs down the steps.

The alarm continues to blare and it's only then with the gunshots that people have turned around to see... Zenji...

"Zenji!!"

Oboro shrieks and moves to go to him but the turret pivots at her movement and Kaya only just manages to tackle her flat to avoid more bullets that crash into the stairs above them, making gravel out of the stone railing.

Matsunaga looks back, utterly horrified as the turret starts to pivot towards him, looking down a literal barrel of a gun. It sprays bullets at him.

Faster than the eye can see, he cartwheels with no hands out of the line of fire, landing nimbly on the railing, and begins to run down the stone railing until he can dive off it and out of sight as rock and dust stream through the air. 

He's too quick for the turret to catch him as an Acrobat, but when he's out of sight, ducking behind the bulky cover of the steps themselves as the turret withdraws seeing no more targets, Matsunaga is clearly shaking and tears have begun to stream from his eyes, soaking his scarf.

Zenji got shot at because he tripped the lock... This... This was his fault.

"Oh my God! Zenji!" Ran moves to go to him but Yuuhi grabs her roughly by the arm and pulls her back so hard she goes crashing to the ground.

"You can't help him, and that thing sees by movement. Don't go."

"But... But... Zenji's... Zenji..." Ran begins to shake and rock herself on the ground, crying now with the realization that they just saw Zenji die in front of them. "He's..."

"Ran... Ran, look at me..." Konoe tries to help, crouching to her but she slaps his hands away like a frantic cat bats at moths. "Ran!"

"Guys... Uh... Guys! We..." Daisuke looks to them. He's shaken, but he needs to look ahead. "They... They're coming this way!"

"Get the door open!" Yuuhi shouts up to Tsubaki.

She'd been boosted and was trying to pull down the grate unsuccessfully, holding onto it like a monkey.

Shirahase can't get the door to budge on her own, but she couldn't get it with Konoe either.

Ran wails loudly.

"This... It's my fault..." Matsunaga's voice is shaky.

"Zenji..." Oboro is too afraid to look up past the railing, but she can see his shoe from here. She's doing her utmost to stay in control of herself, but it's difficult.

"We... Come on. We'll..." Kaya is pulling Oboro away with her, not really sure what her words are trying to do or mean, but hoping she understands anyway.

"Guys!" Daisuke calls out as Matsuri begins to back off. There's nothing she can do.

"Get the door! Someone!" Yoshiki orders as they begin trying to crash through the door themselves, but to no avail.

"Please... Stay back." Daisuke draws the arrow back in his bow. He knows he can take out a few of them if he has to, but... He's never killed anyone or anything before. Only insects. And... These aren't insects. "I'm warning you, if you don't stop, I will shoot!"

But if they hear him, they don't care.

His bow hand nearly shakes too violently to pull the bow, but he takes a deep breath and lets an arrow fly. As anyone would expect from the SHSL Archer, Daisuke's arrow hits a rioter in a bear helmet square in the chest. The rioter looks momentarily confused before he (or she?) falls backwards and blood begins to pool.

"Holy shit... Oh fuck... Oh fuck me..." Daisuke begins to panic. He... just killed someone. He was aiming for the heart and... Oh no.

The other rioters stop to stare at their fallen comrade with a childlike confusion, some tilting their heads. And... They begin to giggle.

"I can't..." Matsunaga rubs the tears from his eyes with his scarf. "Not now. I... I can't... I need to..."

He moves himself despite his mind crying out for him to stop and just accept numbness.

He spots Tsubaki on the grates trying her hardest but it's just not working. With lightning speed he rushes over, and like a weird spider, begins to climb the brick wall expertly until he reaches the grates.

With the practice and expertise of some kind of genius Acrobat, he removes his scarf and ties it to one part of the grate. He hooks his legs onto a horizontal section of the bar as he uses his army knife's attachments to unscrew bolts out of the one side of the grate.

Tsubaki is stunned by his agility and dexterity, even as one side of the grate begins to sag and pull away from the brick. He then does the same to the other side.

The grate pops down from the window like a clam shell opening up and Tsubaki nearly does a header right into the ground before Matsunaga catches her. He knew it would fall open this way and now he's upside down with his legs hooked onto one of the bars.

Matsunaga has great upper body strength to be able to do this, she thinks, as he hoists her back up and practically launches her towards the window.

"Open it. Get inside." He says and she mutters something before she's able to get inside the window.

"Please don't..." Daisuke says, shooting his third arrow. He lets it go and another rioter falls. He keeps shooting arrows as more rioters fall. Their footprints are bloody now that they walk over their comrades. "Please, just leave us alone!"

"Everyone. Give me your hands. Climb."

Matsunaga takes them one by one, hoisting them when they grab his scarf, and then using his own hand as their footholds like acrobats do at the circus on highwire acts, lets them stand on his flat palm to boost them so they can climb up to the window.

Yoshiki, Shirahase, Ran...

"I don't want to kill anyone, please!" Daisuke doesn't have enough arrows for all of them.

Shoko, Oboro, Matsuri, Kaya, Yuuhi, Chisato...

"Daisuke." Konoe grips him by the shoulder. Daisuke is shaking and crying, disgusted by himself but they're running out of time. "Daisuke!"

"I... I killed... I killed... I killed..." 

He mumbles and repeats it, before Konoe sucker punches him, hard in the stomach. The whole world reels and finally fades as he blacks out, slackening in his arms. Konoe catches him and moves as Matsunaga hoists him up unconscious and Shirahase hauls him in.

Jinichi, Ayumu, and then finally Konoe.

Matsunaga unhitches his scarf and pulls himself up through the window, then leaning down to pull the grate back up before bolting the grate from the other side and finally shutting the window.

Tsubaki, who had come in first, hears them all come in and rushes back into the room. Everyone is panicked and flushed, except for Daisuke who is now unconscious.

Shoko immediately rushes for him to check his vitals. She's a Veterinarian, but she does know some things about human medicine.

"What... the fuck... was all of that about?!" It's Kaya who says it, struggling to hold back tears. "We... We..."

"It's alright. We're alive." Yuuhi says calmly which only makes Kaya angrier.

"Zenji's not! Zenji's fucking dead!"

"...Yes. Ono died." Yuuhi nods, choosing his words deliberately. "But we didn't. We're alive."

Anger seizes Kaya who nearly gets up to smack Yuuhi right across the face but Shirahase intervenes.

"Please. Kaya. That... It won't help."

"Zenji... Zenji..." She says, angry at herself for feeling this way. She didn't even like Zenji that much, but she knew him for three years. And... "...Zenji died... He..."

"I know. I'm sorry." Shirahase doesn't know what else to say.

"Why are you sorry?! You don't have to be sorry!" Kaya's reaction verges on hysterical. "Why... Why did this happen?!"

Looking around, no one else has an answer. Even Yuuhi, who had been calm can recognize her pain and is now silent. Why is he so cold?!

Slowly, Shoko and Konoe are able to revive Daisuke who wakes up coughing and nearly vomits. He would have if they had actually eaten beforehand. They roll him onto his side.

As the fifteen of them now try to catch their breath, they notice there is power. The lights aren't all on, but there are monitors around.

It takes a few moments, but the monitors blink on. They slowly cycle through something:

**Mutual Killing Game Final Exam: Rules & Regulations!**

> 1\. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited and offenders will be punished!  
> 
> 
> 2\. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered  
>  3\. The Body Discovery Announcement will play when 3 or more students discover a dead body  
>  4\. No more than 2 students may be killed by one culprit at a time  
>  5\. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students will be required to participate in the class trial - attendance is mandatory!  
>  6\. If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be punished  
>  7\. If the guilty party is not exposed during the class trial, then everyone but the guilty party will be punished and the blackened will be allowed to graduate!  
>  8\. Certain areas may be marked as restricted areas from 10PM to 7AM - trespassing is strictly prohibited!  
>  9\. Violation of school rules is grounds for immediate punishment!  
>  10\. With minimal restrictions, students are free to come and go as they please!  
> 

****

As if right on cue, their handbooks made a glitched noise as if they had just been started up.

Kaya looked at hers and saw her name: NISHIKADO KAYA

...And for some weird reason, most of her handbook's other functions were gone, leaving the ten rules there wherever she swiped.

"What... the fuck...?"

"Uh oh. I spy with my little red eye... some poor little lost sheep to my beautiful slaughter! Upupupu..."

An overly cheerful, overly malicious, overly dramatic voice rang out.

And for no apparent reason, coming out of absolutely nowhere... some kind of animatronic bear, half black, half white with some odd red eye that looked like it belonged on their school crest... appeared.

_This was when we were forced to feel... true despair. This is... how our Final Exam started._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're down to 15.
> 
> On a side note... I really am not good at writing for Monokuma. I'm learning this as I go.


	5. Final Exam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Mutual Killing Game Final Exam: Rules & Regulations!**
>
>> 1\. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited and offenders will be punished!  
> 2\. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered  
> 3\. The Body Discovery Announcement will play when 3 or more students discover a dead body  
> 4\. No more than 2 students may be killed by one culprit at a time  
> 5\. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students will be required to participate in the class trial - attendance is mandatory!  
> 6\. If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be punished  
> 7\. If the guilty party is not exposed during the class trial, then everyone but the guilty party will be punished and the blackened will be allowed to graduate!  
> 8\. Certain areas may be marked as restricted areas from 10PM to 7AM - trespassing is strictly prohibited!  
> 9\. Violation of school rules is grounds for immediate punishment!  
> 10\. With minimal restrictions, students are free to come and go as they please!  
> 

_Have you ever had something weird happen to you? Like... Super fucking bizarre. Just... You're so dumbstruck by it that you're like, 'Oh, well, of course this would happen. Everything else is super fucking bonkers why wouldn't this be happening too?'_

_...That's... how we all felt._

_We'd gone from... Trying to survive, to trying to get in... And now we were all going to try to get out._

_I think we were all in so much shock from... losing Zenji - Ono Zenji, the Super High School Level Director - that we... we... Were numb._

_Just... fucking numb. I thought I was hallucinating at first. I wish that's all it had been. But... That was when it all started. And that's what you really want to know, right? You're not interested in how we got trapped on campus... You want to know when it was that shit really hit the fan for us... Right?_

_Well. This is where things went from bad to worse._

~ ~ ~

"Well now, well now, well now..."

The room they're in now is somewhere on the second floor. Some kind of... banquet hall of some sort. There are tables with white tablecloths that look like they're dusty but were clean when they were put in place. 

"...Holy shit, I'm hallucinating." Kaya thinks out loud.

"That's... a bear. Or... no?" Ran looks to the others.

Daisuke wheezes on his side as Konoe helps him up.

Everyone is on edge because of the bear-thing, a thick fog of anxiety clouding over them. Half-white, half-black... But it must have been animatronic or something... Right? Bears don't look like this... Do they?

"What?! How rude! Of course I'm a bear."

"Who... Who are you?" Shoko asks, frightened of this creature. This is no real bear. "No, _what_ are you?!"

"Unbelievable... To think you barged into my playground uninvited and you're all so rude to your lovely host." Monokuma says it as if it's offended, but it really isn't. "I am Monokuma. And I am... your Headmaster."

"..."

"That's not possible." Yuuhi says blankly. "The headmaster is a man. A... Human man?"

The words feel awkward as he says them.

"So untrusting!"

"No, he's right." Yoshiki stands, a bit unnerved by everything but if everything weird was going to happen at once, why not just go for it. "...Our Headmaster is Kirigiri Jin."

"What now...?"

"...You... You know... the _real_ Headmaster." Jinichi fumbles through his own annoyance at the situation. "Not whatever you are!"

"I'm telling you, I _am_ your Headmaster! Would I lie to you...?"

That's a loaded question, obviously.

And although they are about to say something in response something very unusual happens.

As if today couldn't get any stranger, something that... looks like a rocketship smashes through part of the school building complex, disappearing into the sky above.

"...The fuck..." Matsunaga breathes out, very sure he's lost his marbles now. "Was that... a spaceship?!"

In the next few minutes, they stand watching as the rocket plummets back to earth and crashes another hole into part of the building complex's exterior.

"Well, not like small fry like you would really get it but... I am now officially your new Headmaster!"

"...So, you weren't actually the Headmaster before?" Kaya has no idea what this bear is talking about. 

Did... Did a rocket just...?!

"Technicalities and happenstance, my dear Kaya!" Monokuma cackles at her.

"...You know who I am?"

"Of course! I know all my students. And all about everyone... That's why I'm so curious to see how well you do!"

"Do...?" Konoe frowns. "Do what?"

"Kill each other."

The words exit the bear's mouth or... speakers... and leave everyone stunned. What...? What was he saying?

"...Why would we kill each other?" Oboro asks while the others are too stunned to speak. She's very calm now.

Smoke or ash from the rocket's return trip ooze out into the sky from where it landed.

"To graduate, of course! Don't you know how to read?!"

"...You... You mean this stuff?" Ayumu laughs nervously holding out his handbook. "This... This is..."

"Those are the school regulations for your new daily communal life! Your deadly communal life! Your very short, very sad, very despair-inducing communal life!"

"...I...I don't get it at all..." Ran begins to bubble into tears. "What... What's happening...?!"

"It's simple! Very simple. Dangerously simple! Deadly. Simple." He seems to be winding up to something. "The world out there is bear-y scary, riiight? So, I'm going to let you stay here in my beautiful humble abode. Free of charge. You can live out your lives here, happy as oysters!"

"..."

It should be "happy as clams" but no one wants to say anything.

"That's insane. We need to leave!" Yoshiki scoffs and is more surprised that others aren't joining him. "We need to get home. To our families and friends!"

"Have you been living under a rock? You have no friends and family anymore! They're probably all dead anyway. Better to move on and keep your beautiful friendships close to your beautiful beating bloody hearts! Life is all about adapting to terrible things after all..."

Yoshiki turns ghostly pale at this.

"No. No way. We... We've got to get out." Chisato had been quiet for much of this whole procedure, even during the recon mission. "We can't stay here! I have a life out there!"

"Oh, poor sad Miss Kogure Chisato... The only life you have is right here. But, if you don't mind playing for it, you can get out."

"Play...?"

"Play. Play along. Kill, kill along. That's the secret to graduation."

"No... No way..."

"Oh, you kids these days. So ungrateful... Isn't this better? You can stay here as long as you like, right here forever and ever. You were looking for food, right? There's food here. So much food you might just die anyway! You wanted to get in here so badly and now you want to leave...? So fickle! So ungrateful! So... boring."

There's a cruel chuckle.

"We're not playing your stupid fucking game!" Kaya yells rather loudly which makes Monokuma sulk.

"You won't play...? Oh, no, that thought neeeever crossed my mind. What a shame, what a crying shame, what a cry yourself to sleep shame! ...Buuuuut... Okay. You don't have to."

"We don't have to?" Shirahase repeats it dumbly. "You're letting her out of it?"

"No one's forcing you to play... I mean, no one but me... But if you really are okay with never ever leaving again, then you don't have to play."

"Shut up! Let us out! You can't keep us in here!"

"I can't...? I can't? How can't I? ...Have you tried getting out? ...Are you sure you want to get out? Is it safe...?"

Kaya looks to see an ominous crowd of those Monokuma rioters... They're... everywhere. Surrounding the front door. There must be more on other sides of the Student Center. They... would have to go through them to escape. But... that was too much.

"...Let me see if I understand you right." Yuuhi addresses Monokuma who stares back at him before tilting its head. "We accidentally landed into your... proving ground, and you say we'll live here forever unless one of us kills someone else?"

" _Casi_..." Monokuma speaks Spanish mockingly badly. "Read the rules."

"I did. But that's not the strange thing."

"Strange? What is the strange thing...? Can you eat it? Is it animal? Vegetable? Mineral?"

"..." Yuuhi ignores him. "Even though we came here by accident, you were able to throw together this plan and these rules very quickly. There's no way this was intended for us."

The realization dawns on them all very quickly. They've only been here for... less than ten minutes. And yet...

"Upupupu..."

"What, so... Someone else was supposed to be here? Who was it?" 

Tsubaki is still shaking. The men and women in Monokuma masks wait outside below them, just standing there ominously. It's... really scary!

"That's for me to know and you to probably never find out!"

"Fuck this, just let us out!" Kaya moves towards Monokuma threateningly. "Do you want to die?"

"Do I want to die...? I don't know. Do _you_?"

"The fuck does that mean?!"

Chisato and Ayumu had latched onto her before she could take a swing. She'd wanted to slap the bear, punch it right in its face, kick it down the hallway like an old can. But before she knew it, her two best friends were pulling her back.

"Stop it!" Ayumu said squirming. Kaya was taller than him, and stronger, but with Chisato she was pulled back. "You... If you hit him you get punished!"

"What's he gonna do, give me detention?!"

"No, more like a suspension." Monokuma laughed ominously. "A suspension from this lovely mortal coil."

"What...?" Kaya flinched hearing that. Was he saying...?!

"Tenderize you, crushify you, liquidate you, squish you like a stinkbug, bleed you dry and wring you out like a sponge - unequivocally 1000% murderize you!"

"..." With Kaya's new dumbfounded paleness, Chisato and Ayumu successfully pull her back.

"What nice friends keeping you from your punishment..."

"You're... You're saying that 'punishment' is... is..." Yoshiki can't grasp what's happening when the chills race down his spine.

"Punishment is... execution."

"...Execution?" Daisuke can feel the world spinning again.

Monokuma gives him an ominous look before running its paw... claw... thing... in a line over its neck.

"Execution." It confirms. "If I'd known I'd have guests I would've prepared something special but... I'm sure once the ball gets rolling, we'll really begin to brainstorm possibilities! On such short notice... Well, we'll do our best~"

"We... We can't stay here... We... Our friends and..." Chisato stumbles through her words now, shaking.

"What? Didn't we cover this? No one's outside waiting for you because... They're all probably dead already!"

"No... No way..."

"You guys did a good job surviving like cockroaches, let's see if that luck carries!"

"Then what is it you want us to do?" Yuuhi asks simply. "Is there a goal?"

"Do...? Like... 'do'... Dirty..."

"..." Yuuhi doesn't back down.

"Mm... There is no real goal. You can all stay here and live a peaceful life inside these walls... Or you can try to graduate, it's really not that hard if you don't try to spend your whole day thinking about it!"

"There's no way we can live here..." Tsubaki is shaking. "There's... There's no way..."

"Well... Although I almost can't _bear_ to say it... This building isn't as nice as some of the other ones. I cleared it out the best I could, but it's not as comfortable as the other building." Monokuma admits.

"The one... with the turret?!" Matsunaga flinches at the thought.

"But I think you'll do just fine here. If anything, it just gives you a better incentive to get out and graduate. After all, you're in your final year. Think of this as... Your Final Exam!"

"..."

No one had the words for this.

"There's... There's no way. We... We won't kill our friends!" 

Tsubaki said it, and with so much outrage that it caught everyone off-guard. And yet... Now that she had said it... An uneasiness made Kaya tremble. She knew better than anyone that friends would betray friends given the right circumstances. 

Saying that they wouldn't... was like jinxing them.

"Never?" Monokuma offers a cruel chuckle. His words bring everyone back to the present. "Never say never! It's already happened. It'll happen again!"

"...Al... Already happened?" Tsubaki looks much less confident now.

"Of course! How do you think the Student Council all died?" Monokuma gives a mockingly sympathetic look to Yoshiki who has started to tremble again. "Did you think it was an accident...?"

"...N-No way..."

"All of the Student Council..." Yuuhi's breath hitches in his throat. They knew they had died. And they had heard the rumors that someone killed them. "Wasn't... that someone else?"

"Officially, but what if I told you... That they weren't even locked in and they all started killing each other in no time flat!"

"I've... I've gotta... I've... I need to..." Chisato has taken to mumbling to herself, no longer capable of holding anyone back. The terror on her face is very real. Very... palpably real.

"Well! I can see you all need some time to adjust to your new life so... I'll let you get to it! I have high hopes for you, upperclassmen. If you have questions, I'll be around. Watching. Waiting. Despairing... Your Final Exam starts now!"

A Final Exam.

And... Only one of them could pass it. That was how it sounded. But...

If someone kills someone else, then they have to get away with it. And now... The fifteen of them can only stop and stare at one another, trying to guess their thoughts.

"I... I can't... breathe..." Chisato says before her world spins around her and she thumps to the ground.

"...Ch... Chisato!" Kaya and Shoko rush to her side.

"She just fainted. I think." Shoko says, sympathetically.

"What... do we do?" Matsuri looks around at the others.

Everyone else is oddly silent. 

_What... What could anyone say? There was nothing to be said. In a matter of minutes, everything changed. It had been so sudden, so abrupt, I could only think he wanted it that way. We were all so off balance and now... afraid of each other. Truly afraid of each other. If we hadn't seen Zenji die... or the way the Monokuma men acted... I don't know. We... We had no reason to doubt Monokuma's authority._

_I thought... I thought I was going crazy. For real, out of my mind, this isn't happening, fucking nuts. Because... something like this is just... clearly impossible!_


	6. Desperate Times

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Mutual Killing Game Final Exam: Rules & Regulations!**  
> 
>
>> 1\. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited and offenders will be punished!  
> 2\. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered  
> 3\. The Body Discovery Announcement will play when 3 or more students discover a dead body  
> 4\. No more than 2 students may be killed by one culprit at a time  
> 5\. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students will be required to participate in the class trial - attendance is mandatory!  
> 6\. If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be punished  
> 7\. If the guilty party is not exposed during the class trial, then everyone but the guilty party will be punished and the blackened will be allowed to graduate!  
> 8\. Certain areas may be marked as restricted areas from 10PM to 7AM - trespassing is strictly prohibited!  
> 9\. Violation of school rules is grounds for immediate punishment!  
> 10\. With minimal restrictions, students are free to come and go as they please!  
> 

_A Final Exam..._

_It had to be some kind of joke._

_Monokuma left us alone and we sat stunned in the room we'd just climbed in. Outside, I could still see Zenji's body... blood... falling down the steps in a cascade. No one had touched him. No one bothered._

_The outlandishness of the situation made it... hard to think of something to do rationally, you know? A... bear... thing wants us to kill each other? Hell no! I... Even I don't hate these idiots that much._

_They're all human disasters, don't get me wrong... But I don't want to kill anyone. I can't..._

_But the first few days, when we were trapped in the Student Center... We saw the first cracks in ourselves, and in each other. And soon enough we'd realize that trust was hard to come by in a life or death situation._

_We came to realize that "can't" is different from "won't"... and both are different from "don't want to"..._

~ ~ ~

"..."

No one was speaking.

Daisuke was helped to his feet by Konoe, who wordlessly apologized for having hit him before. Daisuke was still shaking, but he seemed more at peace now. Maybe he was going numb to it.

Yoshiki was shaking badly, as was Tsubaki and Chisato. Once Chisato was able to stand on her own, they were back to the ominous silence.

"We should move." Yuuhi spoke with a calm and measured voice. "We need to at least look around."

"How... How can you be so calm?" Yoshiki wiped tears from his eyes. Thinking about the Student Council... and what was going to happen to them here... "How..."

"Because panicking won't help us right now, will it?" Yuuhi responded with utmost grace. "And besides... We don't have to stay here. And we definitely don't need to kill each other."

"W-What?" Shoko stood up, nervously tugging at the bandages on her arms. She would unpeel them and repeel them, back and forth, like a nervous habit. "What... What does that mean?"

"Monokuma's rules say we're free to explore. They say nothing about us leaving. If he's such a stickler for rules, we can just explore the exit."

"But he'll find us! He... He knows where we are!"

"Only because of the monitors and the security cameras here, I'd wager. If he knew we'd been here on campus, wouldn't he have made us start this ridiculous Final Exam back at the dorms?"

"You think... Monokuma has limited range?" Kaya found herself more at ease with this, breathing gently.

"I think that's safe to assume. He made it sound like we were unexpected 'guests', in any case."

"What evidence do you have of that?" Shirahase asks, trying to comfort Ran who was squealing and crying. "It isn't that I don't want to believe but... It is a risk, nonetheless."

"Simply by the way he spoke. We were 'uninvited' and we 'barged in'... And when I mentioned that we accidentally came here, he didn't refute it. He also said he hadn't had time to prepare anything for us because we were unexpected."

"True, but that could have been all lies."

"I can't say it's not a possibility. However. There is one substantial piece of evidence... Tatsuma is still alive."

"...Huh?" Daisuke flinches.

"The rules say that if you kill someone, you become blackened. And if you are found out, you are punished ...or executed, as it is." Yuuhi's explanation is too calm and focused for such an odd situation. "But we saw Tatsuma kill a handful of the rioters - in self-defense, yes - but Tatsuma wasn't executed for this. There's nothing in the rules about who we have to kill, exactly. I'm sure now that it's started it probably only applies to the rest of us inside and not the people outside."

"Isn't it possible the Final Exam just... hadn't started yet?" Matsunaga asks, nervously fidgetting with his unitard. Small lines of tattoos can be seen on his chest when he tugs at the synthetic material.

"...I can't say it's not a possibility. But Monokuma didn't get involved until we stepped into this building. Monokuma is likely powerful enough to have something planned... but I doubt he is omnipotent. More to the point, if we leave this building, we stand a better chance of escaping. We're free to explore. There's no rule about escaping."

"Actually, you're wrong." Matsuri says with quiet determination. "The rules say you become blackened if you kill a 'student'. Tatsuma killed people in masks. Self-defense, of course. But there's the possibility that they have nothing to do with this... Final Exam."

Konoe can feel Daisuke shaking again.

"True, but we have no way of knowing who the people in the masks are." Yuuhi counters with a nod. "For all we know, they are students."

"Wha... Why would other students be doing this?" Ayumu's nervous laughter makes him sound a little deranged.

"Ebihara and Ijishima were attacked by a Reserve Course student, remember?" Shirahase nods to herself. "It's very possible that they were students under the masks. More to the point, wouldn't it be strange if they weren't students...?"

"You mean..." Chisato takes a moment to consider the facts. "It would be strange if a bunch of random people invaded the campus just to threaten us?"

"Yeah, but those creeps were batshit fucked." Matsunaga grumbles. "Who fucking knows what their problem is? And who cares? If we need to, we mow them down on the way out! For them it's like a mercy killing."

"...I... don't want to kill anyone..." Daisuke says with a tremor in his voice. "Even... Even if it's them... I..."

"We're fucking dying off, dude! Zenji's dead. We almost died!"

"Thank you for that, by the way." Ran says with a small smile. "You really saved us, Matsunaga."

"O-Oh... Well... No... No problem..." He murmurs and looks away, blushing a bit.

"...But then... why do we have to kill each other to get out?" Tsubaki asks looking at her handbook.

"That's the point. We don't. If we find a way out, no one has to die." Yoshiki states clearly. "That's what Rivera is saying, I think."

"...No one else, you mean." Oboro's voice is strained. She's been staring out the window for a while. At Zenji.

"...Correct." Yuuhi nods.

"There is one big hole in your plan, Rivera." Matsunaga says, voice suddenly more steady. "We're still surrounded."

The Monokuma-headed rioters are still there. Not moving. They shift their weight every so often, but they're not moving.

"...Shit, that's creepy..." Ayumu says with a tremor in his voice.

"Although, I think it supports what Rivera is saying, in part." Konoe continues to keep a grip on Daisuke's arm to hold him steady. "That... Monokuma... needs us in here."

"So, what, they're like bouncers?" Ayumu laughs.

"...More like a phalanx." Shirahase takes a deep breath when she speaks.

"Phalanx?"

"A phalanx is a shield formation." Chisato explains. "A row of people with shields that block off an enemy charge."

"...They're there to keep us in?" Shoko asks, surprised.

"If they weren't, wouldn't they move on?" Yoshiki has controlled his wavering voice, at least for now. He continues to wipe his face but the room is rather dusty itself which leaves him a bit dusty too. "Or try to come in and get us?"

"Yeah, the windows are bolted but that doesn't mean they couldn't all get in if they wanted. Somehow." Matsunaga nods quietly. "So... They're there to keep us in."

"They were also there to hunt us down." Yuuhi says quickly. "Which means that Monokuma is probably working with them... or they work for him, as the case may be. Their masks are evidence enough of that. And if Monokuma had absolute control of the entire campus, we'd have been in trouble long before this."

"...Our best bet is to break out and make a break for it." Jinichi nods solemnly. "At least there are no monitors and cameras outside. That I know of."

"All we need to do is to find a way out of here, and slip into Monokuma's blindspot. And then this Final Exam won't matter."

"...Alright. I'm with you." Shirahase nods.

Kaya also nods, feeling more at ease now. Yuuhi's words do inspire some hope in her. She's silently thankful that Yuuhi is here, even if he is too unfeeling. But she can see a glimmer of something in him. It's like Hopebot... er... Munakata.

"Fine. Everyone, get your shit together and let's go." She says doing her best to sound commanding. "We need to search around the Student Center. Come on!"

"But... Wait..." Ran says with a sniffle before Shirahase helps her alng. "We... We can't go alone..."

"Of course we're going to split into groups!"

"...There are fifteen of us. Would you prefer three groups of five, or five groups of three?" Jinichi asks.

"...Honestly..." Shoko says with a bit of trepidation in her voice. "It'd be better if it were three groups of five."

"Huh? Why?" Jinichi scowls. "We can cover more ground as five groups of three!"

Ayumu snorts with laughter. "You're the one who asked, why are you getting so upset? If you didn't want her to pick that you shouldn't have given her the option!"

Jinichi flushes scarlet with anger.

"Five or three, it makes no difference. Just pick one." Tsubaki grumbles.

"But... The rules... You can kill up to two people. If someone decided they wanted to play, they could just kill their teammates."

"Who the fuck would do that, Shoko." Kaya answers bluntly. "Even if someone was that fucking evil, we'd all know right away who did it."

"But you can't say it's not a possibility! It's better if one group handles one floor, rather than a bunch of people wandering around aimlessly." She defends her position but it's shaky and she's clearly thinking of things on the fly. "Because if we do it that way, if something happens we all know who's going to be on what floor!"

"..." Kaya wants to scream at her that no one's going to do anything, that nothing will happen. But... She can't say there's no chance of something happening. "Fine, whatever. Princess Shoko gets her way. Happy?"

"No, I'm not! I'm not happy! I'm trapped in a place with a murder-bear that wants us to kill each other and I haven't seen or heard from my family in...! In... How... How can I be happy...? What... is happening out there... How are things at our clinic...? How are the animals...? They... The animals have no idea what's going on... They're probably scared..."

Shoko is shaking violently and Kaya immediately is struck with guilty feelings. Oboro and Tsubaki move to comfort her. The others have been struck silent.

It had been a long time since anyone had heard anything from their families. But then...

"Would you like to use my phone?" Yuuhi offers to Shoko.

"Wh... What?"

"..." He offers it, still, standing there.

"...Is... Is it working?"

"Yes. I've had it off this whole time."

"How long have you had your phone?!" Jinichi roars. "We should've been using it to call for help this whole time!"

"I tried every day." Yuuhi says plainly. "I called the police. I called campus security. No answer. Their lines were busy, or down, or disconnected. And then I'd turn my phone off. I don't know if I can reach other people. I haven't tried."

"Why... would you turn it off?"

"Because things seemed bad. Once we lost power, you all were calling until your phones died."

"Oh, shit... We've got power here." Daisuke looks around, scanning for outlets in the wall. "We... Did anyone bring their chargers? We can charge our phones."

"I'm not sure how the service will be, or if the lines are still there, but if you want to give it a try, please use my phone, Ebihara."

"...Thank you. Thank you... Thank you so much! I..." She immediately takes the phone and powers it on.

"Dude, why have you not been trying to call your family?" Matsunaga quirks a brow. "Ain't they scared shitless?"

"...My mother is dead, my father lives in Madrid. I can never get through to him, so he calls me. He hasn't yet. There was no point in trying."

Shoko waits for the phone to power on and quickly calls her home phone.

Everyone waits in silence.

"...Mom...? Mom?! Is that... Is that... Mom, it's you!" Shoko breaks into tears, and the whole room feels much lighter now. Everyone is happy for her to have been able to get through. "Mom, I've been so worried. How... No. No, I'm okay, I'm okay I... I'm still at school... I... Yeah. I'm... Listen, I can't stay on the line for too long. But... What. What do you mean...? Martial law...?! I..."

"...Martial law?" Oboro recoils. "Did... Did the government declare martial law?"

"No, no... Mom, I can't. No! Absolutely don't come down here on your own! I'm... I'm going to get out. I'll meet you, I swear. Yeah. Yeah, no. I'm fine. How... How is..." There's an uncomfortable silence. "...How did... You're seriously... No... No, please don't go out alone, Mom! I'm coming home, I promise! Wait for me. Okay?"

After some tense goodbyes, Shoko hangs up the phone and returns it to Yuuhi who powers it down again.

"Are you alright?"

"...My father... He... He died." She says numbly. "He got... An explosion was..."

"Shoko, I'm so sorry." Tsubaki says immediately coming to her side.

"...My mother... She's... She's all alone out there. I can't... I can't stay here! Someone let me out!!"

"Shoko? Shoko, calm down!" Tsubaki tries to hold her.

Shoko wails and screams, flailing her arms until Shirahase and the other girls manage to hold her down until she ineffectually struggles, and weeps into the floor.

Yuuhi stares aghast. Kaya catches his look, and tries to tell him with her eyes that it's not his fault.

Kaya comes closer to him and whispers, "You did the right thing. It was nice of you."

"..."

~ ~ ~

_Yuuhi was so... upset by what happened. He... He wanted to help. He really did. And he did help, but I think what he realized at that moment... was what we all realized. Kindness... may not be a mercy at this point._

_And then I thought it was strange that we'd been allowed to keep our things, but maybe it wasn't that Monokuma wasn't in control. Maybe it was because he knew he was in total control. Maybe this was his plan._

_By giving us a way to contact the outside world... Wasn't that just dangling a carrot in front of our noses? Now, we had every reason to want to leave. And all of us had family and friends on the outside, didn't we?_

_In the end, it didn't matter if we didn't want to believe it. And it didn't matter if some of us were completely alone. Because not all of us were. It would only take one person to want to get out badly enough._

_All it takes is one out of fifteen._


	7. The Student Center

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Mutual Killing Game Final Exam: Rules & Regulations!**  
> 
>
>> 1\. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited and offenders will be punished!  
> 2\. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered  
> 3\. The Body Discovery Announcement will play when 3 or more students discover a dead body  
> 4\. No more than 2 students may be killed by one culprit at a time  
> 5\. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students will be required to participate in the class trial - attendance is mandatory!  
> 6\. If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be punished  
> 7\. If the guilty party is not exposed during the class trial, then everyone but the guilty party will be punished and the blackened will be allowed to graduate!  
> 8\. Certain areas may be marked as restricted areas from 10PM to 7AM - trespassing is strictly prohibited!  
> 9\. Violation of school rules is grounds for immediate punishment!  
> 10\. With minimal restrictions, students are free to come and go as they please!  
> 

_We went about exploring the Student Center, but... I don't think we really knew what we were looking for._

_There were three floors. We'd made it to the second floor when we came in._

_And we split ourselves into three groups of five people. Would we really end up finding something interesting? Or a way out...? All we needed to do was find a way out. Get rid of the Mono-men and just... leave._

_I had no idea how we were going to do any of that._

~ ~ ~

There were three floors, in addition to the main atrium on the first floor.

The main atrium though was...

A large room that was designed to be the front of the Student Center, a reception desk to one side, shoe lockers (not that it mattered at this point if they were wearing shoes inside or not at this point)... Two sets of stairs that led up to the second floor that stretched over the atrium like a balcony. That was how the other group had gone up.

They looked around the atrium. Papers and pamphlets or brochures about Hope's Peak and different events happening on or around campus were scattered along the floor.

And the door itself...?

"The fuck is that supposed to be?"

Kaya's group - Kaya, Chisato, Ayumu, Matsunaga, and Yoshiki - were charged with the ground level.

The five of them came to a large sheet of metal, plastered over the entrance and the entryway windows. Bolts of unimaginable size had the door shut.

"...That would be why we couldn't get in the easy way." Matsunaga said, kneeling down to examine the bolts. He pulls out his army knife and looks at the attachments. "...I don't have a wrench large enough to untighten these."

"Why would you want to?" Chisato went pale. "Those creeps are still outside!"

"Hey, I found a wrench!" Ayumu smiles. 

The thing is rusty and looks like it weighs a ton.

"Ew! Put that back!" Chisato squirms at it. "That thing will probably give you a disease!"

"I don't know, it's a nice shape. Hold it in your hands." He says suggestively.

"You are such a child!"

"You don't want to hold it?"

"No way!"

There were indeed Monokuma rioters outside, peering in the windows which were still bolted shut from the outside. They weren't moving, except to stare in ominously...

"They creep me out, it's like they're... not really there." Ayumu said with a tremble. "Like... Mentally gone."

"Ignore them for now." Matsunaga says without sparing them a second thought. "They could have broken in if they wanted. All those grates on the first floor windows? Easy enough to take off if they found a tool."

"So... What they're just there to be weird and scary?" Ayumu lets out a nervous chuckle when he speaks.

"Rivera might have been right. They might be here to keep us in."

"...Guys, I found more... stuff." Yoshiki says looking in the corner.

Sheets of metal, some thick as a table were stacked in the corner.

"They look big enough to cover the windows." Chisato says. "Most of the windows are a couple meters. These would cover them pretty well.

"...You just know measurements by sight?" Ayumu laughs.

"Of course. I'm a carpenter. If you mess up measurements, you mess up your piece and waste the wood. I would never get a measurement wrong." She says proudly.

Matsunaga rolls his eyes and moves over to the door, judging the metal sheet and the bolts. There's no way he can break through it this way.

"Yeah, Chisato looooves measuring things. Especially hard wood." Kaya says snickering.

"...That's not funny!"

"Hey, look. I found a newspaper." Kaya says as she pulls it off a kind of shelf for magazines, newspapers, the school paper, things like that. "Let's see... 'Master Thief Hiragumo Strikes Again: Priceless Jewels Stolen!' ...so dramatic."

"What's a... Hiragumo...?" Chisato quirks a brow.

"If I'm not mistaken, it's a type of teakettle." Yoshiki says nodding thoughtfully. "Although there's a historical significance-"

"Boring!" Ayumu laughs.

"Put that back, that's like seven months old." Matsunaga frowns back at her.

"Fine, fine. Bye, Hiragumo. Keep watch for us. Don't let anyone get in, we're counting on you." Kaya mockingly salutes the paper once she puts it back.

As they move on, they keep their eyes peeled, examining what's available on the first floor. Rooms for studying, maybe. Some smaller offices and faculty rooms. Probably a teacher's private office on campus, or a faculty room of some kind.

There are fliers for sports teams, a few pictures of some of the star athletes. Kaya can clearly recognize herself on one of them, which is embarrassing but at the same time, really fun to imagine there were people who saw her being awesome and winning prizes. Unsurprisingly, there's also Konoe, Daisuke, and Shirahase on different things.

And Konoe is on most of the posters for sports teams to sign up.

"He really is an all-around athlete..."

There's even some rec rooms. Darts, billiards, some old payphones that have no dial tone, 

"Hey, Kaya, wanna shoot some pool later?" Ayumu calls out loudly.

"I have no idea how to play pool." Kays shrugs.

"That's not important, you just don't sink the black ball in the thing and then you're fine."

"...There's definitely more to pool than that." Chisato laughs.

"Let's continue on, shall we?" Yoshiki laughs. "I think I saw an elevator."

As they continue on, they find all kinds of old computers and TV sets. The computers can't connect to a signal, but they do turn on. Still, they're all blank library models, it looks like. Some of them have spreadsheets and things that make no sense. Most of the computers are really only designed for you to do documents or spreadsheets or print things out... 

Otherwise, all they're good for is the default games or finding a book on file right now.

The TVs are another story. They're miniature ones, and they look kind of like they belong in a security guard's booth or something. They aren't really connecting to anything but static... but there are movies and shows on DVDs.

Yoshiki decides to stay by the elevator, and presses the button.

"What are you doing?"

"Seeing if it works."

"That thing probably hasn't moved in months, is that even safe?" Ayumu laughs.

"...Then let's hope there're dead bodies in it." Matsunaga says grimly.

"...Don't say that. I don't need to think about that..."

~ ~ ~

The girls - Shirahase, Ran, Matsuri, Oboro, and Tsubaki - were in charge of the second floor.

It was a strange group, and really it formed because Ran was clinging to Shirahase, and Tsubaki decided to stay with them. Oboro and Matsuri went with them for their own reasons.

"...You guys, we have an important job to do. Stop slacking off." Tsubaki commanded as they moved through the second floor. There were large banquet halls, and a huge kitchen area.

But Ran was slowing Shirahase down, while Oboro took her sweet time. Only Matsuri was keeping up.

"...Ran, it'll be alright." Shirahase, a reasonably tall girl, was brimming with muscle. It was understandable that Ran, who was shrimpy would stay by her side.

"I'm sorry. I'm... scared."

"Wanna check out the kitchen?" Matsuri asks with a cheery smile.

"...Not really." Tsubaki said quietly. "We should wait until Jinichi's free. He'd know more about kitchen stuff than us. Oh, but... Maybe we should check to see if there are freezers?"

"If you're scared, you could grab a knife." Oboro suggests to Ran.

"What?! No. No way! No knives..." Tsubaki shakes her head. "Why would you even suggest that, she's gonna hurt herself!"

"...Or someone else." Matsuri's smile is enigmatic at best.

"...I... I wouldn't kill anyone!" Ran lets go of Shirahase to pout. "I don't want to die, but I don't want to kill anyone way more!"

As they moved by, Shirahase went in the lead. The kitchens themselves had some refrigerated doors, and all the drawers were clearly labeled. Flour, sugar, a pantry... And...

"These look like freezers to me." Shirahase says before pulling open a door. It's a large walk-in refrigerated closet. Once it was open, cold steam puffed out.

"Close it, you're letting out the cold." Matsuri said with a shiver.

Shirahase agreed and closed the door.

The next thing that they found were some lockers and what looked like the bathrooms. They weren't too far away from the cafeteria.

"Huh. Wonder what this is for...?"

"To go pee." Matsuri says crudely.

"No, not that. This..." There looks like some kind of weird shower area further in the back. With... towels?

"Is this a shower room?"

"I think it looks more like a decontamination room. Like in the science buildings or something you know."

"They're obviously shower stalls for a gym or something." Matsuri laughs. "Why do they look like decontamination showers?"

"I usually only work out alone. And there are no stalls in the other gym with the weight room. Why are there stalls...?"

"For modesty?" Matsuri answers but Shirahase doesn't really get it. 

The bathroom leads further back to the shower stalls. And then there's a door that leads... somewhere else.

"Tsubaki, check the boys bathroom." Matsuri says with a flourish.

"...That's disgusting."

"There are no boys even on this floor, it's fine, right?" Ran chuckled.

"Ugh... Fine..." She's gone for a minute or two before she reappears. "Yeah, it's the same on the other side. Boys bathroom, shower stalls, and a door."

"Then it's equal on both sides. Good job, Tsubaki." Matsuri praises her but Tsubaki isn't sure how to take the compliment.

"Guys! Big discovery!" Ran says loudly peering into the door they hadn't opened. "There's an indoor track!"

"...What?"

As expected, there actually was an indoor track and field. No idea who played here, or maybe it was just there for student use. It wasn't a weight room or a pool... There was a large square of green, and red rings of the track surrounding it under the canopy of glass above them. The sky... looked off.

"The clouds aren't moving." Oboro said quietly. "And it should be darker for the time of day it is. My guess is that it's a fake ceiling."

"...Fake ceiling?"

"Or, rather, it's a ceiling with a fake painted sky. For some reason."

"Why would anyone put a track in the Student Center. That's such a strange design choice."

"There's more than one gym on campus." Shirahase says. "The largest one is the old school building with the pool. But there's also a weight room, and different courts and fields for different sports. This one must be for runners. Which would explain the lockers."

The locker rooms, bathrooms, showers, and the gym are all more or less connected to each other. Which does make some sense.

They continue on, and then spot the laundry room and the school store.

"This place has everything." Oboro is shocked. Normally there were laundry areas in the dorms, but at least they could wash their clothes.

Shirahase moves into the school store next. The others follow her as she looks down the line of things.

"Clothing, uniforms, gym clothes, supplies, notebooks..." She takes a notebook for herself, just in case. "And other odds and ends."

"I'm so glad they have shampoo..." Tsubaki says looking at the sundries and toiletries aisle. "My hair was gross..."

"Your hair is gross. Present tense." Oboro smiles at her casually. "You haven't washed it yet, you know."

"Is it really okay to be taking things like this...? Shouldn't we pay for them?" Ran asks and the others shoot her a confused look.

Oboro has taken a purple raincoat, for some reason. It's not like it's going to rain inside.

"Pay who?" Tsubaki chuckles ruefully. "Everyone else is gone. And after all we've been through, if they're really going to be upset we took some clothes and shampoo, I'll seriously lose my shit."

"...Don't you brave jungles and mountains? Why is shampoo that important?" Matsuri smirks.

"It's because of that that this is so precious! Nothing makes you feel more human than taking a hot shower with running water and not having to boil it yourself or check yourself for leeches while you avoid a crocodile or a hungry baboon!"

"...A baboon...?" Shirahase thinks there must be a story to that. But she definitely won't be asking about it.

~ ~ ~

Yuuhi, Konoe, Shoko, Daisuke, and Jinichi make up another group.

Tasked with heading to the third floor, they see most of it is rooms with desks and chairs, not exactly classrooms but more like waiting rooms and meeting rooms.

"These narrow corridors make me feel claustrophobic." Daisuke grumbles. "Why design it this way?"

Little passages were narrow that fed into larger wider ones like tributaries into a river.

"I remember coming here." Yuuhi says quietly. "The bursar's office is on this floor. And the testing center. As well as the registrar."

"...What's a bursar?" Shoko blinks, confused at the word.

"They're the financial office." Jinichi says quickly. "They're the ones you go to for tuition fees and things like that."

"Huh. I thought we got a free ride, being Super High School Levels." Shoko puts a hand to her chin in thought.

"Normally, you do." Yuuhi says casually. "But I had to send over financial information and enrollment papers because I'm technically an exchange student."

"Oh, yeah..."

Yuuhi was technically from Spain; born and raised in Spain, but then moved to Okinawa later on with his mother's family, he explains. While his father worked in government with Madrid as an ambassador, his mother's family raised him until he was scouted. Which meant he had school documents from Spanish schools too that the bursar and registrar offices needed. Probably health records too.

"That must've been a pain." Daisuke says, feeling much better now. "To have to pull up all your stuff and come here."

"It wasn't so bad. The paperwork was boring but... My mother's family is..." He tries to think of the word. It doesn't translate. "... _Tiquismiquis_."

"Tiki-what?"

"...Difficult people." He says quietly. The words don't come easily to him. "Very... reserved. Finicky? Um... Particular...?"

"Like, traditional?"

"...In ways, yes." He smiles thinly. "They don't care for me, is what I mean. For things I cannot control. I am not Japanese enough for them."

"Oh, because you're half!" Daisuke blurts out rather insensitively. Yuuhi's thin smile falters. He must be right.

"...Way to go, dude." Konoe shakes his head. "Subtle as a train wreck."

"Oh. Shit. I'm sorry. I... Yeah. That sucks."

"What about your father's family?"

"...They also don't care for me. For the same reason, only in reverse. If that makes sense."

"So that's why you were so calm." Shoko says nodding understandingly. "I went and bawled like a little kid when I heard my mom but you..."

"...No, it's not that." He shakes his head as they move past another testing center with rows of desks. It's where they do entrance exams or people come to take tests for classes that are standardized. "I worry about them quite a bit. I simply don't have the capacity to worry about them and myself at the same time. I try to keep my personal feelings in check whenever possible."

"...Yuuhi, you're kind of scary, you know that?" Daisuke laughs and slaps Yuuhi on the back, hard.

"We haven't found anything resembling a bed." Jinichi changes the subject abruptly. "Where are we supposed to sleep...?"

"There are some couches in some of the enrollment rooms. But, nothing that looks much like a bed." Yuuhi mentions quietly.

Tables, chairs, and barely comfortable couches and sofas in the libraries and other waiting room areas. They'd do, but they wouldn't be a normal bed.

"Sleeping on the floor is not that bad. Hell, I'd sleep on a table if I really had to." Daisuke laughs

"...Why is sleeping on a table more ridiculous than sleeping on a floor?" Konoe deadpans.

"Ooh. Look." Shoko said before stopping in front of an elevator. "...Does it work?"

"...The power is on. Do you want to give it a try?"

"Don't. You might scare the others." Jinichi says stiffly. "If the elevator goes up or down, you'll freak out anyone around."

"...You think?"

Daisuke immediately presses the button, ignoring everyone else. "It's on its way!"

After some sluggish movements and waiting, the elevator dinged and opened up. There was nothing inside.

"...Alright. We're done looking at it." Konoe says, sharper than usual.

"Huh? But... Maybe we should send someone down to see where you end up."

"...Send Shoko if you're worried."

"Me?! Why me?!"

But as they complain, they notice that the elevator had gone down, and then began rising again, or, rather... Konoe and Yuuhi notice it. And then...

Yoshiki appears in the elevator.

"Hey, guys!"

Shoko immediately pulls back.

"You scared me!"

"Aw, sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I scared the girls on the second floor too." Yoshiki says with a laugh. "We found the elevator on the first floor too. There's also a basement button, but it's not working or... something. I can't get down there."

"Probably for the best. The basement sounds scary." Daisuke laughed.

"Hey, everyone." Konoe calls everyone over, and even Yoshiki comes over. "There's a fire escape map on the wall."

"Oh, like a diagram?" Shoko looks at it.

"There's apparently... Some kind of big staircase that you can use that'll take you right down to ground level."

"That's good. The floors here are annoying."

The way things had been set up was in the atrium there was a staircase to get to the second floor. 

It was the only staircase on the first floor at all, or at least the only one that was still accessible, aside from the stairs for the emergency staircase further in the back that went to all three floors.

If you were on the first floor and you wanted to go up to the second floor by way of the atrium, you had to head to the atrium to get to the stairs. And once you were on the second floor, you'd have to go all the way towards the back to get up to the third floor... and then all the way to the front to head to the roof.

In other words, you'd have to pretty much walk from one end of the building to the other at every floor if you were going to go up the old-fashioned way.

But now they knew there was the elevator, and the emergency stairs.

Other stairways had been blocked off or were unusable.

"At least there's the back set of stairs. Whoever designed this place needs their head examined."

"I assume that was Monokuma's doing." Konoe shrugged. "Probably to make things more difficult. Or maybe the other staircases got damaged in the riots..."

"I dunno." Daisuke groaned. "Sounds really fucking tedious."

They move towards where the stairwell would be and sure enough, the stairs go down to the second level with a little platform, and then there's a platform and then down to the first floor.

On the first floor, there's another doorway that leads outside like a back entrance, or one would assume it was. The sign says exit, but the door is bolted shut like the front of the atrium. The regular entrances in and out seem to have been boarded up. But... when had that happened?

"This must be the fire exit? Anyway... These stairs seem more convenient." Shoko shakes her head. "I think you're right, Monokuma did it this way on purpose."

"Did I?" He appears out of nowhere, like an asshole would. "What a terrible thought. Me. Interfering in your lives... Well, it's true! But some of the stairs just aren't very good."

"...Yeah, yeah. Thanks, we don't need you."

"You mean you _don't_ want to hear about the massacre at the bottom of the stairs...?"

"Absolutely not!" Daisuke was feeling a little nauseous now. The thought of a... massacre.

"A certain someone with a terrible face and body odor came in and cut people down with an army knife~ What kind of ugly girl would do that..."

"...Army knife?" Shoko begins to shake again.

"That's right~ A useless-looking girl with a big big knife. Basically, a nerdy man's fantasy!"

"Please leave. You're not needed here right now." Jinichi groans loudly.

"So rude! You won't be so mean when I show you what else I've got planned... I'll expect begging and crying!"

"...Anyway, I'm gonna head back to my group and let them know what you guys found." Yoshiki says before quickly rushing off down the first floor.

"We still need to decide where we're all sleeping." Daisuke yawned. It was getting late. And... Although he didn't want to go to sleep, he was sure he needed it.

"I guess the third floor did have some places you could sleep." Shoko considers it.

"There's still the floor." Konoe adds quickly.

"Whatever the case may be, we'll simply make do with what there is." Jinichi says confidently. "Floor, table, couch, even sleeping standing up if we have to."

"...Sleeping on the floor is probably easier."

"Ugh, but it's so dusty..." Shoko murmurs. "Maybe we should clean up first."

"We just had the day from hell, almost literally. I don't mind getting a little dusty if it means I can finally sleep." Daisuke frowns at her. "Why make more work for yourself anyway?"

"I don't know. I need something to do. Anything." She'd meant to say it more as a joke, but it ended up coming out all real. And sad. "Maybe some of the others will feel the same way."

"I'm hoping the others found some food." Konoe sighs to himself. "That was the whole point in coming here."

"Impossible! I'm being ignored...!" Monokuma announces loudly.

"We don't have anything left to say to you! Just go away!" Jinichi snarls and Monokuma starts to withdraw, sadly.

"Oookay..."

And then it disappears.

"...I almost feel bad for it." Shoko says quietly.

"Don't feel bad for it! That psycho kidnapped us!"

"It's more of an unlawful imprisonment than kidnapping... but I see your point." Yuuhi says to himself.

"It's still a kidnapping when you don't let someone go."

"Let's go back and talk to the others. Maybe they found something interesting." Shoko suggests.

~ ~ ~

"So... No one found a way out. Great." Ayumu sighed loudly.

They'd agreed to meet up on the second floor again, inside the room they'd landed in when they first got there. After pulling the dusty tablecloth off one of the tables, they were able to sit down together as a group.

"It's easy enough to get out." Matsunaga crossed his arms. "It's getting away from those... people."

"I agree. Matsunaga was able to open up the grate on the window relatively quickly." Yoshiki nods, commanding the meeting for all intents and purposes. "The problem would be the Mono-men."

"...Mono-men?" Kaya quirks a brow at the name. It's... absolutely going to catch on, and she hates it.

"The creeps with the masks." Chisato supplies it but Kaya quickly turns to snap at her.

"I know what he means, it's just a stupid name."

"Leaving that aside, we also need to think about how all of this would go down if we did make an escape attempt." Konoe quickly ends the bickering.

"Meaning...?" Matsuri asks.

"Suppose we break off a grate and open the window. Then what? Does Monokuma attack us? Do the... Mono-men come after us? How are fifteen of us supposed to escape a horde?"

"We could leave at different windows." Ran nods.

"...Except we'd have to do it from the second floor. The first floor would be too dangerously close to them." Shirahase closes her eyes. "And though I'm sure some of us could make the drop, it only takes one person to hurt themselves."

"Well, if someone does go down, it makes it easier for the others to escape." Matsunaga shrugs.

"That's terrible!" Tsubaki looks at him, horrified. "We have to all get out or there's no point!"

"The point is that we live. At least some of us, if not all of us. Sorry non-athletic people, but I'm not dying here because you can't make a jump."

"The next building over is... which one?" Yuuhi looks to the others, but Daisuke steps in quickly.

"Administration's the closest one. There's also the Science building. But I dunno if they have power."

"Isn't no power a good thing, though?" Shoko asks. "We wouldn't have to worry about him spying on us. Or this Final Exam stuff."

"...She does make a good point. But without power, there's also less chance we'll find food." Tsubaki shrugs.

"We focus on getting out of this building and you want to run to the next one?" Jinichi crosses his arms. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. We already did that! We were safe in the dorms, then we came here and now..."

"We did what we had to in order to survive." Oboro says, preoccupied and looking out the window. "We'll do it again."

"...The problem is that Monokuma's listening in, so we just told him what our big plan was. Good job, everyone." Ayumu adds sarcastically.

"I think we could lay low in one of the other buildings, not necessarily Administration or Science. But our goal should be getting off campus entirely. Monokuma declared himself the Headmaster, and has enough ability to hack into our handbooks and take over the network."

"I'm with Rivera here." Matsunaga nods, before scratching his head. "This sick fuck is trying to force us to kill each other. We need to get off campus if he's claiming it as his lair."

"But there must be people in the other building. With the turrets. We can't just leave them." Ran implores.

"What do you want to do? March up to the turret and ask permission? Everything there is bolted shut. And I don't want to try fooling around with that front door again. It could be ten times worse in there anyway, who knows if they have food."

"Plus, Monokuma may live there. Or whoever's controlling him." Kaya says quickly. The others stare at her blankly. "What? We searched this place top to bottom and didn't find out where he was staying. Obviously there's some kind of mastermind behind the thing but... Where else could they be?"

"That's fair." Oboro agrees. "The only place we haven't checked are the roof and the basement. I doubt anyone lives on the roof. And even if they did reside in the basement, we have no way of finding out."

"I'm sorry, Ijishima. I'm in agreement with them." Yoshiki says. "The fact is that whoever it is in the old school building has control of a turret and gunned down one of our own. They might be survivors like us, but trying to find out would put us all in hot water."

"Frankly, they aren't worth our time." Oboro is still angry about Zenji. She keeps looking out the window. "They have a turret and the whole place is defended. They're doing better than we are at the moment."

"What's the matter, Tendo?" Shirahase looks in her direction. "Is something the matter?"

"..." She turns away. "...Zenji's gone."

"Yes. I know you and Ono were close."

"No. His body... is gone."

Immediately, the group springs up to go to the windows.

But it's just like Oboro says. Zenji's body, which had been by the stairs leading up to the old school building... was gone. All that was left were some bloodstains and bloody streaks on the stonework. And those were... being mopped up by the Mono-men now.

Weirdos in Monokuma masks, scrubbing out blood from stone. The railing was still partially destroyed from the bullet spray, and there were bulletholes in different places but... They were cleaning it up as if nothing happened.

"That's... not possible!" Tsubaki began to tremble. "Where... Where did they...?"

"I would rather not think about it." Oboro adds darkly.

"Was that a question for me? An opening? An invitation?" Monokuma's cheerful voice scares them as he waddles up to the window with them.

Instantly, the group parts in two to give him a wide berth.

"What... What did you do?" Jinichi tries to keep his voice even, but it's failing.

"Me? What did I do? I didn't do anything!"

"Where is Zenji?" Kaya glares at him.

"Oh, that? Well... It's just not sanitary to have the dead piling up, you know? All kinds of diseases, not to mention the smell... It's just not healthy!"

"Where." She repeats.

"I mean, I had to get some people to clean it up but it's fine. They're not that bright, but they sure are handy, right? Do you think they'll stand there over night? Do you think they'll just pee where they are like cows? I can't wait to find out!"

"Where?!" Her voice becomes unnaturally shrill, and even then Monokuma doesn't take her too seriously.

"Where, you say? Hm... I dunno. Maybe I'll find a plot to bury him along with anyone else. Or maybe there's a mass grave I can use. Or I could feed him to stray kitties, or use him to fertilize my fields... I guess I could even just bury him in the septic tanks!"

Oboro nearly rushes forward but Shirahase holds her there by the waist and puts her arm behind her back. Even so, Oboro has a lot more strength than it would seem, nearly pulling Shirahase along with her.

"This isn't a game." Yuuhi glares at him.

"It's not? It feels like a game! There are rules like a game, contestants like a game, a grand prize like a game... It's called the Killing _Game_ after all! Do you ever wonder what happens to contestants that get eliminated from those gameshows? When they get the question wrong or don't do the thing they're supposed to do...? I wonder if a trap door opens and they get swallowed by nothingness... Upupupu..."

Everyone in the room feels flashes of anger and despair, but none more than Oboro.

"...Let's just leave it for now, right?" Yoshiki says before moving closer to Oboro. "Tendo, I know this is a shitty situation, but we need to focus on ourselves right now. So let's leave it this way for now. And when we get out, we'll find him and put him to rest properly."

"You will? Wow! So noble!" Monokuma laughs. "Who knows how much of him there'll be if and-or when you get out, though! Better hurry~"

"Just... Shut up." Chisato's face has set into disgust, dabbing tears away with her free hand. "You're just the worst."

"How about this, Miss Tendo... If you kill someone and get away with it, I'll tell you where your buddy got put! Would that sweeten the pot?"

"..." There's a moment where Oboro can't believe what she's hearing. "You say that. But... I can't believe in you."

"No? Aren't I a bear of my word...? Well, okay. Have it your way. It's probably not important what happens to dead bodies anyway, right? They can be stepped on, rearranged, cut open, and no one really cares. I wonder though... Who here is only seeing a bunch of dead bodies in their way...? Scaaaaary."

"That's enough." Shoko says fiercely. "I don't want to hear this anymore. Let's just... go and get something to eat. And figure out where we're sleeping."

"We... have to stay the night?" Ran's voice is shaky.

"Of course we do." Matsuri gives her an incredulous look. "We've been searching all day and haven't found anything worthwhile. We stay overnight and then start in the morning again."

Daisuke's stomach growls, loudly. He flushes in embarrassment. "Oh... Sorry. That's me..."

"Since we have supplies, I'll go to the kitchen and see if I can make something." Jinichi says quickly. "I'm a Baker, but I do know some culinary dishes."

"Ah, dude that would be amazing! Even just bread would be fucking amazing!" Daisuke might as well be drooling.

"You're seriously going to let him make our meals?" Ayumu's disbelief shakes the rest of the room. "Are you all stupid?"

"What's your problem now?" Jinichi glares at him. "You were useless in the investigation, you were useless when we had classes, and you're still useless. What right do you have to complain about anyone doing anything else?!"

"...Okay, buddy, take it down maybe like three notches." Kaya says with a confused look. "You don't need to go right to the nuclear option."

"You'd let this guy cook for you? He could kill everyone!"

"..."

"What better way to kill someone than by poisoning the food?!"

"...The rules say you can only kill up to two." Yuuhi rolls his eyes. Ayumu gets on even his nerves. "If he killed everyone, he'd be punished. Right, Monokuma?"

"That's right! It would be such a shame to have the game end by TWO!"

"...TWO? ...You mean... 'two'...?"

"No! Technical Wipeout!"

"..."

"In other words, it's not fun for him if you eliminate all your competition at once. There's also no need for a class trial if that happens."

"Dude, you say that but that doesn't mean he couldn't try! Or someone else could poison the food that he makes and blame it on Jinichi!" Ayumu continues.

That possibility is maybe a bit more plausible.

"Well, fine. If people are so nervous, then why don't a few of you volunteer to help me. I've got cleaning and food prep to do. Ayumu, it sounds like you just volunteered. Who else?" Jinichi decides immediately.

"I'll help!" Ran says brightly. "I don't know my way around the kitchen much, but I don't mind cleaning up or doing dishes."

"Come on, Kaya. Help a brother out!" Ayumu pleads to her and she snorts.

"Sorry, sweetie-dude. You fucked that up all on your own. Go have fun measuring flour though. I want to take a bath and get a change of clothes." Kaya snickers.

"I'll assist. Uh. With the kitchen. Not the... bath... You know." He coughs awkwardly. "I'm the class rep, and Secretary now, so I should be helping out in some way. It wouldn't be right to have Jinichi doing everything all by himself and me doing nothing."

"That's four people. That should be enough." Tsubaki says. "But maybe next time or in the morning or whatever we switch it around? I don't like the idea of being poisoned either."

"You mean alternate?" Shirahase asks.

"Well, yeah. It isn't right that everyone have an assigned thing to do every time. Especially when meals are so important. Like, when you're outrunning lions you'd feel pretty annoyed that it was only you outrunning them day after day!"

"..." What kind of metaphor is that?

"We'll figure that out in the morning. In any case... I suggest we try and find somewhere to sleep. And let each other know where we'll be at all times, if you can." Yuuhi suggests. "I also wouldn't suggest wandering around by yourself at night."

"I would rather have a room to myself." Oboro says quickly. "Sharing limited space with you all is... unpleasant."

"Gee, thanks. Tell us how you really feel." Chisato laughs bitterly.

"Come on, dude. We'll find some place on the third floor. They had some nice cushy couches!" Daisuke laughs.

"...The floor would be just fine with me, though." Konoe shrugs.

"What is it with you and sleeping on the floor? How many people have put their nasty feet on it?"

"I'll find a vacuum. It isn't so bad. The hard part will be finding blankets."

"Hold on just a moment~" Monokuma says quickly. "There's just one itty bitty problem to address!"

"...What?" Daisuke's mood takes a nosedive.

"From the period of 10PM to 7AM, it will be considered nighttime. As such, certain places are going to be made restricted..."

"What places are restricted?"

"Well... I'll say the kitchen, the locker rooms, and school store for tonight. But I'll make sure to make an announcement later just before nighttime. I wouldn't want you lambs getting punished just because you're stinky and need new clothes..."

And with that he disappeared.

Jinichi immediately checked his watch.

"That gives us plenty of time to clean the kitchen and get some food ready. It won't be anything too fancy, but depending on what there is, I'll do my best."

"Okay. Well..." Shoko looks around. "Once I take a shower and get some new clothes, I'll come down and help out with the cleanup. Cooking for fifteen is a bit intense."

"Oh, wait, I'll come with you real quick!" Ran says. "I'll see if they have aprons in the school store."

"Then everyone should go do what they'd like." Yoshiki nods with a small smile. It was almost like living back at the dorms.

"Yup. Sounds good. Time for a nap." Matsunaga yawns loudly.

"...But I would advise against going places alone. Stay in groups larger than three, if you can. And don't wander off." Yuuhi doesn't mean to make it sound gloomy and ominous, but... If anything, it's because it's so honest and so undeniably a good idea that it sounds even more frightening. "...Be safe everyone."

~ ~ ~

_That was how we spent our first three nights there. We'd find things that might make living here easier, but morale was starting to flag, bit by bit._

_Still, we kept our wits about us and just kept investigating. Pretty soon, we started to fall into a lulled pattern of food, sleep, investigation, and even some socializing._

_And on the fourth day... He got bored._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Living: 15  
> Dead: 1
> 
> What happens when Monokuma gets bored?!


	8. Secret Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Mutual Killing Game Final Exam: Rules & Regulations!**  
> 
>
>> 1\. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited and offenders will be punished!  
> 2\. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered  
> 3\. The Body Discovery Announcement will play when 3 or more students discover a dead body  
> 4\. No more than 2 students may be killed by one culprit at a time  
> 5\. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students will be required to participate in the class trial - attendance is mandatory!  
> 6\. If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be punished  
> 7\. If the guilty party is not exposed during the class trial, then everyone but the guilty party will be punished and the blackened will be allowed to graduate!  
> 8\. Certain areas may be marked as restricted areas from 10PM to 7AM - trespassing is strictly prohibited!  
> 9\. Violation of school rules is grounds for immediate punishment!  
> 10\. With minimal restrictions, students are free to come and go as they please!  
> 

_Where things got really strange... was when we were given our first motive._

_Because things weren't going Monokuma's way, he decided to make it more interesting for him. I knew it would be bad. But I didn't expect how bad it would be._

_Even though they're all stupid, I can't say I blame them for their reactions. Even my own reaction was... Everything... It all became so complicated when Monokuma threatened to reveal our secrets._

_The things we never wanted anyone else to know, the things that filled us with fear and dread... We were faced with an adversary that knew them all. How? Even I don't know._

_But I do know... that it was the day despair became a reality for us._

~ ~ ~

It was the fourth day. Even though their stay at the Student Center hadn't been totally comfortable, they had settled into a routine.

They'd change positions on who was cleaning, and who was cooking (though Jinichi was always cooking just with different helpers)... and everyone else would spend their time trying to think of ways to get out.

The Mono-men (some of which were women) continued to stand vigil. Every so often, one of them would leave for a while. But almost all the way around, there were Mono-men.

"They must be deranged. Who can stand there for hours every day...?" Kaya makes a face. "That can't be healthy."

"I dunno." Ayumu said groaning. He'd been sweeping all day and his back hurt. "They're probably just going to die that way. Whatever."

"...Perhaps if we wait them out, they'll die off on their own." Matsunaga smirks. "That way we don't have to worry about them."

"Not sure... Some of them rotate. Can't figure out who's who though. They all look the same with those helmets."

Monokuma had left them alone for most of their stay at the Student Center. Thankfully. He only showed up every now and again to annoy them, or make dirty jokes.

"How many do you think we'll need to go through?" Matsuri asks, a small waver in her voice.

"If it comes to killin' we kill 'em!" Ginka laughs loudly but Matsuri maintains a nervous expression.

"Depends how weak they get. And how strong we are." Matsunaga shrugs. "Maybe send us athletes out first?"

"You're not an athlete." Kaya scoffs. "At least not in the traditional sense."

"Hey. I got bigger muscles than you. You think I don't build up some serious muscle doing flips and shit? I could kick your ass any day of the week."

"Whatever, I just meant that you don't play an actual sport. Like with balls and nets and stuff. Don't get your spandex in a twist."

"Mm... Matsunaga playin' with balls..." Ginka's laughter makes Matsunaga flush.

"Shut your puppet up, Souma. Or I use her for firewood."

"Oh, baby, I'll keep you warm at night! Hope you like splinters when you play with balls."

"I said shut up!"

"Ginka. Behave." She pats her puppet's head, as if it's not actually her saying the words. 

The small burst of static on the monitors set them all on edge. They'd simply had the rules repeating, over and over, or were off sometimes. But this...

"Testing, testing - 1, 2, 3... Are we on? Can you hear me?"

"...Fuck." Kaya groans.

"Please meet down on the first floor in the atrium for a special school assembly. We have a very special announcement to make that will be sure to... enrich your deadly school life! So then... Come on down! Don't be late, or I'll come find you~"

The monitor blinks out again, and it's back to the rules of the Killing Game Final Exam.

"...We... We..." Ayumu has turned pale. "We... have to go...?"

"What could Monokuma want..." Matsunaga is considering it.

"Ayumu..." Kaya looks at him.

At once, Matsuri grabs Ayumu by the hand and pulls him up.

"C'mon, big man. Time to face the music!" Ginka's squeaky rasp is unnerving but does get him to move. Matsuri begins to push him along from behind.

"I'll take him there. Otherwise he'll get in trouble for sure." She says looking back to Kaya.

"Yeah. Thanks."

Matsunaga and Kaya share a worried look.

"It can't be anything good."

"...Yeah."

"Nishikado." He looks at her seriously. "You're not... planning on taking part in all of this?"

"What?"

"You're not a killer, are you?"

"Of course not! I don't like you guys, but I wouldn't kill any of you. You're..." My friends, she almost says. But that seems hypocritical at this point. "...I don't want any of you to die." 

"...I see." He says before taking a deep breath. "That's fine then."

"What would you have done if I said I would be willing to kill?"

"...Most killers would never say it out loud. But... I know I can take you if I need to. I'm not worried."

"Be worried a little!" She finds herself smiling in spite of herself. It's such an odd thing to be talking about. "...I don't hate you guys though. You know... I... I think you're all really annoying, and sometimes I want you all to leave me alone. But I don't..."

"..." Matsunaga smirks. It should have been obvious that a punk like him with tattoos would understand what that all meant. "Let's go before you say anything else out of character."

"What about you? Are you a killer?"

"...Only if I need to. And only then."

An awkward beat.

"Nice tights by the way. Very intimidating."

~ ~ ~

The last to arrive is actually Oboro, which isn't all that surprising but...

She isn't late by much. The fifteen of them stand there in the atrium while a small podium has appeared for... some reason or other. Was that always there or did someone move it there? It's hard to tell.

And all at once, without any warning... Monokuma appeared on the podium.

...

"So, like I said... There's so much talking and so many new characters that I just can't wait around for you to develop yourselves. I'll give you a big push and we'll see how it goes!"

"...The fuck does that even mean?" Matsunaga grimaced.

"Surely you miss the outside world, or you'd stop looking around and accept your communal life. But it seems like some of you just don't want to make the hard decisions!"

"Hard decisions?" Ran asks, stupefied.

"Like, who's the easiest one to kill? Who can I get rid of? How do I get away with it?" He laughs. "The big questions in life!"

"...You're back to that?" Yuuhi stared at him boredly. "Isn't this gag getting old?"

"Sorry, sorry, no hablo!" He laughs mockingly. "But... Maybe you need more incentive."

"For the last time, we're all getting out so just leave us alone." Tsubaki crosses her arms. "We don't want to hear you."

"What? Oh... That hurt my soul. But... I'm feeling vengeful, so, maybe I'll hurt everyone else's souls too!"

Monokuma produces a handful of envelopes with their names on them. Which is strange considering Monokuma doesn't look like he can write.

The notes are given to them.

One by one, each of them opens up the envelope to see what it says.

Kaya's makes her blood run cold.

**_"Nishikado Kaya went on subsidized dates with men twice her age!"_**

...

Kaya stares dumbly at her paper.

It... was true. 

They had been poor. Poorer than most, but barely scraping by. And... going on dates with men who paid her good money was...

It never went past dates. 

Dinner, dancing, karaoke... Once she was paid to be a man's date to a wedding. She'd left before anything sexual was brought up. Most of the time it was sad old men, or people with sick wives. Once or twice, it was a gay guy who was using her as a beard. She liked those dates the most. They were always the nicest. And it felt nice to know someone else's secret.

Creeps were easily weeded out, but there were plenty of sad men, especially older, who just wanted someone to be around and to feel like maybe they were important.

She'd accepted their money, and gone on "subsidates".

It was stupid. And it was wrong. But... She would have done anything to help them survive.

What the letter with her secret didn't say was that she sometimes went on dates with men to blackmail them later. Go on a date with a doctor, blackmail him later, and she'd have a doctor who could falsify her medical reports for the contests to claim she was a man.

That was how she'd ended up competing in most of her earlier tournaments before Hope's Peak. The Tour de France, for example. The prizes had big cash payouts. And the ones for men were more prestigious because no one cared about women who were cyclists, at least not in the same way they did for men.

They were some of the people she'd left hanging out to dry. But that... was something she had put far behind her!

"...The fuck..." It's Matsunaga's voice who catches her off-guard. "...How..."

Apparently, Matsunaga's secret is true as well.

Realization and fear spread across everyone's faces to some degree.

"...No... No way..." Daisuke mumbles. Konoe looks to him as if to say something or ask something, but keeps it to himself.

"Wow! You guys look like you just came from a funeral, but you know, you need a dead body first, so chop chop!"

"...What is this?" Kaya says seriously. "What do you want?!"

"What do I want...?" There's an odd pause and then... A soulless look, hellishly soulless even for a bear pierces her very soul. "...Despair. That's what I want."

"Despair?"

"Despair... Building up your hopes... Crushing them down to greater lows. What a beautiful sight...!"

"Then, what's the point of these secrets?" Yoshiki says immediately pocketing his. "What are they for?"

"They're your motivation! An incentive to keep things rolling along at a murderous pace. Secrets secrets are no fun, secrets are for everyone! If I don't see a dead body soon, I might have to share your secrets with everyone here or what's left of the world!"

"Then... You mean we need to kill someone in order to avoid our secret being revealed?" Shirahase asks, still perplexed as she stares at her own paper.

"Mm... Not everyone, just one person. One murder. Be a team player! And... If there hasn't been a murder in 24 hours, then... maybe I'll tell the world all about your big secrets!"

"Tell the world?" Yuuhi frowns. "How would you do that? The internet can't be doing well after everything that's gone on. Why... Why would anyone care?"

"Oh, I don't know. Everyone loves a good scandal. A forbidden love, a past crime, a secret identity... Your class has a lot to love!"

"...I'm not killing for this." Yuuhi says flatly.

"What? Why not? Should I do better next time?"

"The rest of the world has enough to worry about. I don't care if others know."

"Well... What about each other?" At this, even Yuuhi is struck silent. "For all intents and purposes... you might as well be the last people on Earth still alive. Maybe you don't want your secrets revealed to your friends. Maybe for some of you... it'd be easier if I told the world, just not the people standing next to you!"

No one has a good reply.

That seems crazy but... but...

It would be one thing if the rest of the world, a world she never really knew, were to find out about her secret. It would definitely cause her problems with her career, and it would add even more intrigue to her own personal story but...

The idea of these fourteen people knowing her secret... was worse. They were as close to her as her own family. She hated them, sure, but she also hated her biological family. 

But... If they knew... What would they say about her? She... couldn't think of what she'd do.

It all just hurt so much to think about their scorn on their faces. The shock. The dismay. The looks of judgement. The snickers and laughter and everything else.

The room plummets into an obscene silence. No one knows what to say.

"..."

"Tendo Oboro is a plagiarist. She forged her report that got her into Hope's Peak. She's no Super High School Level Meteorologist."

The entire room turns to Oboro as she speaks. Without a hint of fear or irony, she throws her paper into the middle of the room. 

And sure enough, that's what it says...

"...What?" Yoshiki is dumbfounded.

"It is true. I shouldn't be the Super High School Level Meteorologist. My paper on tornadoes and low pressure systems... was mostly my own work, but I stole the theory of a colleague and took it for my own. It made great strides in understanding how tornadoes form and proved a solid piece. I used my basic knowledge and that of an expert's... And that is why I am here."

"..."

The whole room is stunned as Oboro freely admits her secret.

To think that... Monokuma would know something like that! Did... Did the rest of Hope's Peak know that when they scouted her? How had she kept that a secret for so long, and how did Monokuma find out?

And yet...

And yet they were forced to accept this reality. For Kaya too... It didn't matter how Monokuma knew about subsidates. It only mattered that he did know, and that they were true.

Now that Oboro had admitted it was real, she couldn't even pass it off as a lie. 

Or... Kaya shuddered. Maybe there was more proof than what was written on the paper. Had... Had someone seen her? Taken her picture...?

"Hope's Peak has ended and fallen. It will not reopen. Why should I care if you or anyone else knows I am a fraud?" She chuckles. "This no longer has anything to do with me."

And just as quickly, Oboro begins to walk away.

"Oh, my! A secret reveal!" Monokuma laughs dramatically. "How unexpected! Super High School Level Bravery! ...Or Recklessness!"

"Either will do." Oboro says without looking back and leaves the room.

The silence permeates the room again. Their minds swim.

But then his voice comes out, weak but clear.

"...Yuuhi Rivera." Yuuhi smiles sadly before he throws his paper into the middle of the room as well. "...is responsible for the death of his mother."

"What?!" Ran squeals loudly.

"You... You killed your mom?" Daisuke is stunned.

"..." Yuuhi doesn't react to the stares. Instead he levels a dangerous stare at Monokuma. "I won't be manipulated into killing. Maybe someone weaker than I, but... I won't let despair take me."

"So... Just confess our secrets? And they've got no power over us?" Daisuke laughed nervously. "Uh... Well... Tatsuma Daisuke... still picks his nose."

"...You do?!" Konoe looked at him, stunned.

"I... Well... I mean, sometimes there aren't tissues. And I always wash my hands!"

"That's so gross, Daisuke, ew." Ran can't help but smile. 

"Sh-Shut up... It's... It's super embrassing."

"Okay... Uh... Ijishima Ran... was a bully in middle school. And her victim committed suicide."

"...Ran?!"

"...I'm... I'm not strong enough to talk about it. But... that's what it says." She smiles and lets her paper slip from her hands. "I can't let other people know, you know? But... I won't kill for it. You know? I keep saying you know. It's going to be annoying... I'm... I'm rambling now. I'm sorry."

Ran begins to cry softly and though Shirahase's first instinct is to go to her, she can't help but see Ran in a different light than before.

Ran never seemed... the type. Kaya, yes, definitely. But... Even she never took it that far. What kind of girl was Ran before she came here...? Is... Is that why she's so relentlessly cheery? So... cloyingly nice...?

"Well? Anyone else want to share?" Daisuke chuckles loudly. "Come on, no need to be shy!"

But... no one else volunteers.

"...Come on, it can't be that bad, right?" Ran says, shaking and blinking back her own tears. "You already heard the worst thing I could possibly say. And... And Yuuhi..."

"..." Yuuhi looks away.

"She's right. It doesn't have to hold any power over you!" Daisuke smiles before punching Konoe lightly in the arm. "How about you, dude? Come on! You can do it, big man! Show us how it's done, sports pro!"

There's an expectant moment there.

...

But Konoe doesn't move. He doesn't even react. He simply stares hard at his envelope.

"..."

"Dude... Come on, it's not that bad, really!" Another expectant moment, but his face and voice fall. "...Konoe...?"

"...I can't." Konoe says at last. "I... I don't want anyone to know that... I can't..."

"...Konoe..." Daisuke suddenly looks concerned. "H-Hey... Whatever it is, I won't tell my sister. You can say it!"

"..."

"H-Hey... Whatever it is... We're still going to be friends... So... Tell me. Tell us. It's fine!"

"Please stop..." Konoe says softly. "I'm... not strong enough to say it. So... Please stop... Please..."

Daisuke takes the initiative and reaches for Konoe's paper.

Without even thinking, Konoe slugs Daisuke. 

Hard. 

Right in the face.

It comes as such an automatic act of self-preservation that even Konoe is surprised when the fist connects. A spray of blood erupts when Konoe's fist makes Daisuke's nose bleed. And in one quick movement, Daisuke lays flat on the floor, dazed. His bow clatters to the ground and arrows spill out of his quiver.

"Oh, shit!" Shoko says covering her face before rushing to Daisuke's side.

"...Daisuke... I'm... I'm sorry..." Konoe says, in fear of even himself. One of his titles might be the Super High School Level Yogi, but there's nothing peaceful about him right now.

"What the fuck, man?! The fuck is your problem?!" Daisuke recovers from his daze long enough to stare up angrily at Konoe.

Blood drips down his face now, dripping onto the floor of the atrium.

"I'm... I'm sorry. Please... Forgive me..."

"I was trying to fucking help you, asshole! What the fuck is your problem?!"

"...I... I..." Konoe blanches and backs up. "I... I won't kill anyone. I won't. But... I can't let anyone know this about me. I'm sorry. I'm... I'm... I'm sorry."

And without skipping a beat, he turns on his heel and rushes off faster than ever. The Super High School Level Rugby Star... is absolutely terrified.

"Upupupu... It looks like some people don't want to participate in show and tell. What do you think, Tatsuma? Isn't it just so despair-inducing...?"

"..." Daisuke winces at the words and then again when Shoko helps dry his bloody nose. He's lucky it isn't broken.

"Isn't it just so super mega awesomely terrible that some people can push aside their fears so easily... and others want to live in the dark...?" Monokuma laughs again, even more maliciously than before. "Some of you can stay hopeful that everything will be fine... Others... You'll sink into despair."

"No one's sinking!" Daisuke shouts angrily.

"No? What else would you call it? ...To be reminded of your own weaknesses... To have other people be good examples of how to love oneself, no matter what...? And to know that you don't have the courage to do that for yourself? They step into the light so easily but you just want to crawl into a hole and die...? Sounds like despair to me... A personal, private, powerful, pathetic Despair... A True Despair."

"..." 

"Does anyone else want to share their secret?" Yuuhi asks, trying to take command of the floor again. "If you get them out in the open, there's no reason to follow through with this Final Exam."

He waits for someone else to make the first move. But everyone is reluctant to move.

"...Okui Ayumu... has... an incurable and terminal disease." He says and gently places his paper on the floor.

"What?" Kaya flinches. "Is... What is it?"

"It's not contagious. But... It's a genetics thing. I... I don't have much longer. I wanted to graduate. But... I... They thought I'd be dead by now. And... And... With this..."

"Hey, come on, this is just mean." Chisato complains to Monokuma. "That's not even a real secret... that's a secret that's just... really horrible!"

"Oh? You think it's a bad secret...? I think it's the worst secret in the bunch!"

"...What does that mean?" Kaya clenches her fist.

"Well, Okui Ayumu just made himself victim #1!"

"...The hell does that mean?!" She loses her patience. She's repeated herself but Monokuma just laughs.

"...I understand what he means." Matsunaga sighs. "...If Okui won't be alive much longer... It means that someone might see it as 'better him than me, he's on borrowed time anyway'... And... be done with it."

"Wha-?!"

"...In other words... Out of all the possible people here who would be killed... Okui is the one a killer would feel the least remorse for."

Without missing a beat:

"If any of you touches Ayumu, you're fucking dead!" 

Kaya announces to the room loudly. In all honesty, Ayumu is annoying. He makes stupid jokes and is insensitive. And he's like a brother to her. No one gets to pick on him but her. The stupidest most annoying little brother that... that... is dying. 

And she never knew. If they'd graduated, she was sure they'd lose touch. And... How long would Ayumu have lived...? Would she even have been told? Would she have found out somehow?

He's... He's dying. 

Kaya's angry tears stain her shirt.

"Kaya..." Ayumu doesn't know what to say.

"...I'm fucking serious, if any of you go after him, I'm going to fucking bury you myself!"

"And I'll hand her the shovel!" Chisato says, bravely.

"Enough." Yuuhi shakes his head. His plans always seem to backfire. What would Munakata have done in this situation...? Would he be messing up this badly...? "This isn't helping."

"Kaya... Chisato..." Ayumu looks sincerely touched.

"I mean it. Ayumu's off limits. If you wanna kill someone so badly, come try me." 

Kaya has volunteered it before she can even stop herself. 

"No one has to kill anyone." Yuuhi has now definitely lost control of the situation.

"If you go after Ayumu, then you're a fucking coward and you deserve to be dead. You want to kill? Come get some!"

"..."

There's a long awkward silence as the room settles uncomfortably.

"We... We should move on." Yoshiki smiles, shaky. "This... This isn't a good idea, I don't think. But... At least those of us who shared aren't really in danger of becoming killers."

"If you say so!" Monokuma laughs loudly. "You've got 24 hours! Go out there and make me proud~"

And disappears almost as mysteriously as he appeared.

"..." Daisuke looks back to where Konoe had gone. What could he be hiding that's so bad?

"...If anyone else wants to speak, do so." Yuuhi says addressing the room. "If not, we should try and get some rest."

Kaya stares at the papers on the ground. She... She wants to be strong like the ones who volunteered their information. She...

"Wait. I..." She says quietly before holding her paper. "I'm not going to say mine. But... If anyone really wants to see it..."

She says before placing her paper on the ground. The words mock her as she exposes them.

"..."

"Well, anyway. If you want to see it, it's there. I'm not talking about it. But I'm not killing anyone if I don't have to." She says and abruptly leaves the area. 

She doesn't want to look back. She doesn't want to see who's peeking. She doesn't want to see who's read her secret and who's looking astonished or disgusted. 

She... just can't. 

This... This is going to be bad, she says to herself. 

She knows deep down, someone... Someone else is going to die. She doesn't want to believe it, but she knows it must be true. 

And the thought terrifies her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the revelation - and concealment - of their deepest darkest secrets, the 15 survivors of the Killing Game Final Exam are now left with the difficult decision of letting things lie... or doing something about it.
> 
> How long until someone ends up on the chopping block?
> 
> How long until Despair claims its first victim?


	9. Bloodsport

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Mutual Killing Game Final Exam: Rules & Regulations!**  
> 
>
>> 1\. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited and offenders will be punished!  
> 2\. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered  
> 3\. The Body Discovery Announcement will play when 3 or more students discover a dead body  
> 4\. No more than 2 students may be killed by one culprit at a time  
> 5\. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students will be required to participate in the class trial - attendance is mandatory!  
> 6\. If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be punished  
> 7\. If the guilty party is not exposed during the class trial, then everyone but the guilty party will be punished and the blackened will be allowed to graduate!  
> 8\. Certain areas may be marked as restricted areas from 10PM to 7AM - trespassing is strictly prohibited!  
> 9\. Violation of school rules is grounds for immediate punishment!  
> 10\. With minimal restrictions, students are free to come and go as they please!  
> 

_I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn't get everything from the day out of my head._

_We... spent the rest of the time until nighttime avoiding each other. There were tense looks everywhere._

_And we had 24 hours to either... decide to let it go and let Monokuma expose our secrets however he wanted, or... or... Kill someone._

_I'm not a pessimist. Not really. But... I am a realist._

_And I know people. That's why I don't like most of them._

_This... would be bad._

~ ~ ~

The restricted areas for the day were - the track, the kitchen, and the rec rooms on the first floor.

On the first floor, Yoshiki is loading things into the elevator. It's starting to get very late. The clock in the dark says it's nearly 11:30 at night.

"Come on, aren't we done? Is the elevator even going to be able to hold all of this stuff...?" Tsubaki groans. "And what's even the point of all this?"

"Well... We need some kind of entertainment. After all of that..." Yoshiki sighs, thinking about everything that had happened earlier. "I mean... Just some time to decompress."

"I agree." Shirahase comes carrying small portable TVs, the kind that are so small it's almost like they're from a different era. They aren't very heavy, but she is carrying a bunch of them. "Monokuma spoiled our good mood and... has made it difficult to trust each other."

"...Yeah, yeah..." Tsubaki sighs and huffs a box full of DVDs into the elevator. "Still... I'm... glad I didn't have to share my secret. You know...?"

The two give her the same pained look. Neither Yoshiki nor Shirahase shared their secrets either. But... It was clear they were feeling guilt and relief at the same time.

"How did he know those things...?" Yoshiki grimaces.

"We are students here. It's possible that he... or she... or it..." Shirahase struggles with the words. "It's possible they know us. Or we knew them."

"But the things they knew were really personal! I mean... It was for me anyway." Tsubaki wilts. "And did you see his face..."

"Sakurai..." Shirahase nods. "I've never seen him that way before."

"He just hauled off and punched Tatsuma. Wham! It was... hard to watch." Yoshiki trembles. "I know it's not right but... What was he feeling that was so terrible? What... What did he see in his letter?"

"I know... I feel the same way. Poor Ran..." Tsubaki sighs. "I never would have expected that from her. But... I think Kaya's the one who surprised me the most."

"Her secret?"

"Well, yeah. I... I did look..." Tsubaki admits to her morbid curiosity. "But also that stuff about protecting Ayumu. I thought she hated us all for sure."

"Nishikado is a complicated young woman." Shirahase nods appreciatively. "Who knows her feelings other than she herself?"

"I heard she had to do a lot to end up as the Super High School Level Cyclist but... I kinda thought it was all rumor, you know? I mean... I'm the Super High School Level Copyeditor, but I never had to... do what she did."

"You looked at it too!" Tsubaki points accusingly.

"I... Well... I..." Yoshiki sighs. "Yeah. I did. I'm trash, I know. I... I need to apologize to her later."

"What exactly does a Copyeditor do to get accepted to Hope's Peak?" Shirahase sets more things down in the elevator.

"Uh... Well, I correct things, mostly. Grammar, word choice... I proofread things. It used to be books, but now it's mostly websites. The thing I'm most well-known for is manning the government announcements and checking them over. Although... my most infamous job was dealing with the speech that Ishimaru Toranosuke gave after he stepped down as Prime Minister."

"You worked on something big like that?"

"Yup. I was pretty famous in the copyediting world... For whatever that's worth. But I... I guess I knew it was happening before anyone else. I made sure his resignation speech was perfect. It... It was a hard job."

"I see."

"...Anyway. I... I feel like maybe we shouldn't gossip about the others. It feels a little... skeevy."

"What about you, Shirahase?"

"What about me?" She quirks a brow at Tsubaki. "I'm a Weightlifter. That's simply all there is to it."

"No. I mean... Are you going to be okay with your secret being revealed...?"

"..." She stiffens and then wills herself to relax. "I hope so. If it's what has to be done, it's fine. Although I would prefer not to."

"...Yeah." Tsubaki sighs. "By the way, where'd Oboro go?"

"She's on this floor somewhere. She holed herself in one of the offices. I guess she wanted a private room." Yoshiki sighs. "She's a real piece of work."

"To think she wasn't really supposed to be here..."

"I wouldn't say that." Shirahase shakes her head. "Despite arriving at Hope's Peak under false pretenses... You should keep in mind that she's been here for three years. She passed all of her practical exams. Unless she found other experts to copy, she did earn her place here after all."

"Huh. Well, when you put it like that..."

~ ~ ~

"Why do you want to know about elephants?!"

Matsunaga is hanging upside down from the railing of the emergency exit on the third floor. He's tied his scarf to the railing to allow him to be closer to eye level with Shoko, but they're still far apart.

Shoko stands on the landing, leaning on the railing, looking up at Matsunaga who dangles like a spider.

"Well... I mean... I'm a Veterinarian."

"...And?"

"You work with elephants, right?" She says seriously. "You're in a circus!"

"We stopped using elephants some time ago. There was a lot of fear about animal cruelty. I can say our elephants were never mistreated, and at the time we only had two."

Shoko looks... starry-eyed, not angry. Matsunaga isn't expecting that reaction at all.

"I love elephants."

"...Okay?"

"I... Uh, well, this is stupid but... I kind of always wanted to be a vet at a zoo. Our clinic only had dogs and cats or birds, snakes, lizards... You know, standard things but... I loved zoos growing up. I wanted to know everything about them, and work there one day."

"..." Matsunaga quirks a brow, but it looks funny upside down.

"I was just thinking about all the things I wanted to do when I get out. And visiting a zoo is right up there on the list. I... I wanted to ride an elephant."

"You were asking so you could meet an elephant at the circus?"

"Is that wrong?"

"I... suppose not. But I think Mizuno would have better connections to seeing an elephant than I would. She's the Wildlife Conservationist, or... whatever that entails. If she hasn't been nearly killed in a stampede of elephants, then she's probably ridden one before."

"I'd _love_ to ride an elephant... It's on my bucket list!"

"Focus on not kicking the bucket first."

"Yeah..." She says before moving up the stairs, up to the third floor. "I'm... I'm going to head to bed."

"Your secret." Matsunaga pulls himself up. They now stand face to face, but Matsunaga is taller. He unties his scarf and ties it around his waist with his shirt. "Is it bad?"

"..." Shoko flounders for a moment. "It... It's not good, that's for sure. Yours?"

"...I don't know. At this stage, it might not matter. But... If it does then..."

"Yeah. I did something stupid when I was younger. And it hurt people. If anyone found out, I'd probably go to jail. I wanted to tell the others, but... if the world is actually fine then... I can't tell anyone."

"Then we are in the same boat."

"You did something illegal?"

"..." He sighs. "It's a long story."

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours!" Shoko says boldly, pointing at him.

"Oh?"

"Yeah! Absolutely! Blood pact."

Matsunaga stares at her blankly. He then begins to speak in a deadpan monotone.

"My circus is involved in heists and museum robberies. We're a circus of crime. And my job is to be the thief so I scale walls and sneak into buildings and take things using my acrobatics to not get caught. I'm the Super High School Level Thief."

There's an awkward moment that passes before Shoko begins to laugh.

A really hard laugh that echoes loudly throughout the stairwell.

"I'm serious! If you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine! But..." She continues to laugh. "Don't give me the plot of a comic book!"

He smiles at her. And then boops her on the forehead with his index finger.

"When I'm stronger, I'll tell you the truth."

Matsunaga continues to smile as he descends for the second floor.

"Yeah..." She sighs. "Me too... When I'm stronger..."

~ ~ ~

Kaya has felt ill this entire time.

Just an unrelenting stomach ache that she can't get rid of. It's almost... It's almost like the dread in her stomach has twisted hard into a knot.

She's been avoiding Ayumu and Chisato the entire time, even though they both have tried to talk to her.

"Hey. Um..." Chisato had found her by the lockers after coming up from the first floor. She was playing with her pigtails, which in Chisato body language meant she was nervous. "Thanks for earlier."

"What?" Kaya makes a face.

"You standing up for Ayumu. I... You did it. I thought about doing it, but I couldn't do it."

"..." Kaya continues to make a face at her. "Sure you could have. You're not as weak as you think you are."

"That..." Chisato laughs uncomfortably. "It's nice of you to say so."

"Well, good news. I'm full of good cheer today. Can't you see how happy I am."

"..." Chisato looks at her seriously. "I didn't look at your secret."

"..."

"I mean it. I... I wanted you to know that."

"It's fine if you do. I left it there on purpose. I'm sure everyone's having a nice laugh at my expense. I probably even deserve it."

"..." Chisato gives her a serious look, and then glances furtively at the security camera. "Alright."

"...What?" Kaya knows better than to look where Chisato is looking. She's not so naive. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. We... We'll talk later." She says trying to keep her eyes off the camera. "We'll meet at the special spot, okay?"

"...Huh?" 

Special spot?

Chisato gives her a small nod and a wink and then leaves the area.

What 'special spot' was she talking about? Had they had a conversation she didn't remember...?

"...What the fuck does that mean?" She mutters under breath but then stiffens.

Kaya looks up and sees Matsuri coming her way. She struggles to stay calm and positive.

"You were very inspirational back there." Matsuri smiles. "Truly."

"...Are you making fun of me?" Kaya's prickly behavior comes across as weakness and she knows it.

"Not at all. I think it's admirable. You were afraid to tell the truth, but you did. In your own way. And you stood up for your friends. You're... too noble for someone like me, I'm afraid."

"Too noble for... For what?"

"It's not important." She laughs again.

"Just take the compliment ya goody-goody!" Ginka's voice comes out raspy and angry somehow.

"Yeah, yeah, thanks." Kaya rolls her eyes. Anyone with a dummy must have some real psychological problems, she thinks.

There's a sound that's... grotesque.

They'd been standing near the bathrooms and the lockers, Kaya had picked up her recently washed pajamas from the night before.

The sound coming from the boys bathroom. It sounds like someone is violently retching. The sound almost pushes Kaya over the edge herself.

There's the sound of coughing and briefly, running water.

Almost transfixed, Kaya and Matsuri watch the door open.

Konoe - looking a sallow greenish gray walks out. He... looks like death. He nearly jolts backwards seeing the girls there.

"Sakurai!" Matsuri squeaks. "You..."

"Ah... S-Sorry. I... I'm not feeling well." He says weakly. "I hope you... didn't hear that."

"Only the end." Kaya says grimly. "Are you... Well, shit, obviously you're not okay, are you?"

"..." Konoe looks down. "I... I won't kill. But... I don't want people to know. You must understand that..."

"Actually, Kaya went and revealed her secret to everyone. Sort of. But you'd left by then." Matsuri chuckles. "But I understand you perfectly."

"..."

There's a look that Konoe gives Kaya. And she... feels his envy in his stare. There's also a loneliness there. As if she can't possibly relate. Or understand.

"It's not a... unique secret. I guess." Konoe sighs. "But... It's mine."

"Huh?"

"I want to tell people. I do. I really do... But... No one else knows. And... If anyone found out..." He's mumbling. "Hope's Peak is over. I don't even have that now. I... Anything I've worked for would be ruined. And I've got no safety net now. I wanted... I wanted to graduate before I said anything. Or..."

"Sakurai..." Matsuri looks like she's tearing up. She's rubbing her eyes a lot under her glasses.

"I guess it doesn't matter. I've got no prospects after this. They say if you graduate from Hope's Peak you'll succeed no matter what... I don't even have that now..."

"You still have Daisuke." Kaya says quietly. "And a girlfriend. And your family, right?"

He looks suddenly nauseous again.

"...I did. But... even they... Especially..." He looks like he might actually vomit right there. "I'm sorry. I... I need to go. I... Do you know where Hirano is?"

"Huh?" Jinichi? "...I think he went to bed."

"...Third floor?"

"Yeah. Probably."

"I'll see if I can find him. He... The kitchens are closed but maybe he has some bread around. Something to settle my stomach..."

"If you can't find him, go to the school store." Kaya suggests. "There might be snacks or candy there that might help. Maybe they've got ginger tea."

"Yeah... Ginger... sounds good. I think I need more meditation. Lots of... meditation."

Konoe stumbles off on shaky legs towards the third floor.

"...Geez. He really looks terrible."

Normally Konoe is quite handsome. Not as good-looking as Yoshiki, but Yoshiki has more of a bookish appeal and Konoe is more of a sporty appeal. And then there is Daisuke, but he's more of a... cool or wild appeal?

But Konoe here was... scary.

"Hm... Well, I'll leave you be." Matsuri smiles. "I think I'd better go to my room. It isn't safe to be out and about."

Something about the way she says it makes Kaya cringe. She absolutely isn't wrong. With a short farewell, she's gone.

Kaya sighs loudly and leans against the wall.

"These idiots are going to be the death of me."

"Huh? Which idiots? Us idiots?"

Daisuke's voice catches her off-guard. She sees him peering over at her and nearly jolts. Speak of an idiot, and one will appear.

"Fuck, Daisuke! You scared the shit out of me!"

"Ah. Sorry, sorry! I..." He murmurs, suddenly turning dour. "I was looking for Konoe."

"You just missed him."

She can see he's still got tissues shoved up his nose. That's an idiot, for sure.

"Shit, really? God damn it... I've been looking everywhere."

"He was in the bathroom." Kaya sighs before standing. "But I don't think he wants to see you."

"This is seriously bad. I'm... I'm worried about him."

"Even though he knocked your block off?"

"...What, Chisato hasn't ever slapped the shit out of you?" Daisuke's question is so straight forward she nearly doesn't know how to answer.

"...Have you even _met_ Chisato?"

"Must be nice to be the alpha female. Poor little betas don't even know what to do with you." He laughs.

"I don't get it. Boys are weird. You're seriously going after him?"

"If I can find him. He's... Konoe's in a lot of pain. I just... I need to get him to say whatever it is and then he'll feel better."

"If a girl ever punched another girl in the face, they'd be mortal enemies for life. Guys... I swear, you punch each other and then you're friends and you chest bump or start measuring your dicks or whatever it is..."

"..." Daisuke stares at her blankly. "...Well, there's normally a farting contest first, but I always win those."

Kaya can't help but laugh at that. It... feels good to laugh. It feels strange to laugh.

"I can't believe you pick your nose!"

"Why not? I get boogers like everyone else." He laughs nervously.

"Yeah, but your secret doesn't compare with Konoe's I bet. There's no way you can connect to him and make him feel okay when your secret is so... stupid."

"Can't blame me for trying. I'll get his secret out of him." He seems confident and then groans. "...Where the fuck did I go wrong...?"

"...?"

"...We've been friends forever. I thought... That he'd have such a big secret that he couldn't even tell me of all people...? He's been dating my sister for years, we're practically inseparable. My parents love him, he's... Is it... like did he murder someone, or something?"

"He... doesn't seem the type."

The talk of murder doesn't make her feel better.

"Fuck... Just... Fuck this whole stupid... fucking... fuck..."

"Come on. Use your words."

"Fuck this whole shitty fucking thing! Fuck!" He yells, exasperated at nothing.

"Did that make you feel better?" She asks cocking her head to the side.

"...For like... half a second. Maybe." Another groan. "Which way did my idiot friend go?"

"Third floor."

"I may have to punch him back."

"Uh... avoid doing that?"

"I've got huge arms from pulling bowstrings. He'd better hope I don't need to smack him around. Or... You know... Wedgie him until he tells me the truth."

"Are you a fucking five year old?"

"...I'm five and a half." Daisuke grins stupidly, giving her a joking salute, before he heads off for the third floor.

He's still an idiot, but not as stupid as she thought.

~ ~ ~

Konoe groaned as he made it up to the third floor. He had no idea which room Jinichi had chosen for his bedroom.

Would he have picked one of the rooms with the couch...?

His stomach churned angrily at him. All the stress always went right to his stomach. Usually meditation helped. Focusing on reality and not the made up scenarios his mind would play in his head...

But this was different.

Everything was... so complicated.

After coming to a dead end, he groans again and moves back into the hallway. There was no one else around.

"Hey!"

He flinches hearing the voice. He knew Daisuke's voice when he heard it. Oh no.

"...Go away, Daisuke." He sighs. "I don't want to talk."

"Sakurai." Daisuke's voice says. "Come over here!"

"I said I don't want to talk! Can't you just... leave me the fuck alone..."

He winces even as he says it.

"Sakurai, I need your help!"

"What?"

"I need your help! Over here!"

...

He clucks his tongue and moves off down the hallway towards where the voice is coming from. For his sake it better not be a ploy to get him to tell him his secret. He already knows it probably is.

"Daisuke..." He says turning the corner, expecting Daisuke to be right there ready to get all up in his face.

Daisuke was always like that. Ever since they were little. He just didn't know how to let things go. But even that was...

WHAM!

There's a loud noise that rings dully in his head and he knows that he's falling, because the floor approaches rather quickly and there's a small thump where he's sure he just bit his lip on impact.

The dull pain becomes more pronounced and his vision blurs. Someone...

Someone had just... hit him...?

The world turns black around the edges. And... He never got to say what it was... That's just... not fair...

~ ~ ~

Kaya sighs, pacing back and forth. She wished the track were open. Running out her anxiety would have helped a lot. She resolved to do a lot of running tomorrow.

So much. Just... So much running.

But she couldn't outrun her thoughts. She'd tried that before. Biking normally helped.

"Ugh... If I could just ride my bike..."

It felt like her wheels were spinning, which was ironic considering there were no wheels. It was painful not to be able to do the one thing that really relaxed her. Even when she was competing, there was something very... hypnotic about the way the wheels would spin, how things would move when she moved, how everything seemed to make more logical sense when she was on her bike.

She pushed that aside and moved down the hall towards one of the smaller corridors. Maybe she could find something in the vending machine that would take her mind off things.

Before she can take the small thing of candy she'd taken, she looked up to see Chisato running by. She looked upset. Crying.

"Oh no... There she goes..."

Well, it's not like she could leave her alone. All the stuff with Ayumu was probably getting to her. She was probably crying her eyes out in the bathroom.

"I'm gonna need more candy..." She sighs before moving towards where Chisato went.

"Nishikado."

"Huh? Shirahase?" She looks around, but doesn't see her. She'd be hard to miss.

"Nishikado, I need your help! Come here!"

"Huh? Where? What's wrong?"

The voice doesn't answer but it calls from the other direction. Kaya groans. Now what.

But... Could it be...? Her pulse quickens. It couldn't be something... something bad, right?

She rushes down the hallway, faster than she needs to and turns the corner. She's heading for the kitchens. That must be where Shirahase went.

She stops in front of the kitchen area. It's... not locked, but it is restricted. She'd be... punished.

"Shirahase, where'd you go?"

"This way. I need your help! Hurry."

She turns and sees another door further down. That's the pantry and storeroom area. They are connected to the kitchen, but they aren't technically the same room. That... That must be fine.

It must be Konoe, she thinks. He must have gone looking for something to settle his stomach and now he's sick in the storeroom. That would be an issue. For a lot of reasons.

Braving her own queasiness at the thought of what she might find, she slowly moves towards the pantry and opens it. Cautiously, she puts one foot in and waits for some kind of alarm bell to ring, some... thing or person to appear and tell her she'll be executed.

It's such a violent reaction to have plague her mind after she had already done it. What was she thinking?!

But if it was Konoe then...

Kaya grumbles and opens the door fully before walking in. There's... no one around.

"Shirahase, where are you?"

"Over here. Please, hurry!"

She sees the door to the freezer is open. Did... something happen? Maybe one of the girls went missing? Shirahase was always mothering them. Maybe it's Ran. She hadn't seen her... Or Shoko?

"What's wrong? Is someone hurt? Did... Did someone get locked in the freezer?" She asks stepping closer. She doesn't see anyone there.

"Yes."

Alarm bells ring in her head before she's pushed face first into the freezer, dim darkness taking over when the door is shut. There's no glass window there to see who it was, but she'd heard Shirahase's voice, hadn't she?

Confusion comes first as she picks herself off the ground.

When she tries to push the door open... it doesn't budge.

"The fuck...?" She curses and pushes again.

It's... not working. It's not opening.

The more she pushes, the more frantic her movements become. She's... She's locked in.

And it's freezing cold! She can see her breath. Fear wells up inside of her as she pounds on the door, it's the only thing that kept her warm but it's fading as cold steam rises around her.

"Let me out! Let me out! God... fucking..." Kaya continues to slam and kick at the door, but either someone is holding it shut or something is. "Shirahase, let me out! What the fuck are you doing?!"

Can anyone actually hear her? If she really is locked in with something holding the door shut, then... how is anyone going to hear her? Isn't the kitchen area off limits?

No one... No one would come down this way...

The chill is either dread and panic or just the cold air, she doesn't really know.

All she knows is that she's frantically screaming and pounding on the door with her hands and kicking it but... nothing's working.

~ ~ ~

Shoko yawns loudly in the third floor corridor. She can't sleep.

She's hoping that a walk around will help clear her mind but... the idea of someone maybe lurking around is... scary. She checks the clock. Yup. It's around midnight, more or less.

She thinks quietly on her own secret. Will she ever be strong enough to say it out loud? And... Will she be strong enough if everyone else finds out about it? She wished she'd had the guts to say what it was when everyone else had.

"Maybe I'll do it tomorrow... That'll take out some of the sting..."

A sudden wave of nausea hits her. The smell of... blood? Something like iron or... metallic. It...

She covers her nose. She's... She's smelled blood before. Animals mostly. Sometimes animals hit by cars, or bitten by another animal. They don't always smell like this though... Is it... different for people?

Oh. It's... It's a person...

It's got to be a person.

The realization sends chills up her spine. And she remembers the smell from the classroom. Where she'd seen the girl with the army knife. Was... Was she here? Was she... working with Monokuma?

Slowly, as slowly as possible, she inches towards the smell of blood and... turns a hallway.

She sees... legs... It's...

"Somebody come quick please! Someone!! I need help!"

She screams without realizing and hopes that someone has heard her. Someone not a killer with an army knife.

Konoe lies there on his stomach, and there's blood pooling at his head.

Oh no... Oh... This is real...

She swallows her own vomit as she rushes closer.

"H-Hey... You're..." Don't talk to the body, she chides herself.

She forces herself to remember her medical training. There's got to be something she can do, right?

She takes his pulse and...

"Shoko? Shoko, what's wrong?!"

Daisuke's voice makes her jump as he rushes past. He stops, turns back to her hallway and comes in.

"Daisuke..." She looks to him, she isn't aware she's crying.

"What hap... Wh... K..." Daisuke stares in terror at Konoe on the floor, before turning ghostly white and sliding down the wall, half-fainting. "...What..."

"Why are you two so loud?! I am trying to-" Jinichi roars as he stomps his way closer to them. He catches sight of Konoe and shrieks, loudly. Very loudly. "What the fuck is this?!"

"Please, I need your help! Go... Go get help! Or...!"

Jinichi nods dumbly and runs off at full tilt.

"What... What happened...?" Daisuke feels nausea pool in him before he finds himself vomiting in the hallway.

"..."

Shoko pauses.

She doesn't hear anything.

"...Konoe? Are you... alive?"

"Wh... What? He's... He's alive?"

"W-Well... That's what the rule says! Right?! ...Three or more people..."

Daisuke scrambles over to Konoe and begins to shake him.

"H-Hey... Konoe. Wake up! You... You better not be fucking dead, you asshole! I... I still need to apologize to you and shit! Don't... Don't be dead... Don't be dead... Please... Please..."

"Daisuke. Stop it!"

"Don't be dead... Give... Give him back..." He mutters incoherently. "Give him back!!"

Shoko slaps Daisuke so hard he sees spots.

"I can't help him and help you at the same time so would you please cool your fucking jets and help me?!"

"I'm... I'm sorry. You... You're right. What... What do ...I do...?"

"Nnnh..."

A groan from Konoe sends both of them shooting backwards. When they see Konoe's fingers twitch and try to move, Shoko leaps forward.

"Konoe! You're okay! Oh my God... Holy shit... I... You nearly fucking killed me, you ass..."

"..." Konoe groans again. "Y-Yeah... How... How dare I..."

"Konoe! Oh my God..." Daisuke says lurching back forward and grabbing his hand. "Are... Are you okay?"

"Why... Why did you hit me...?"

"Huh? I... I didn't."

"I... I fucking... heard you. You... What the fuck, dude...?"

Daisuke doesn't really get to hear Konoe swear like this, so it's an experience all around.

"I just found you like this. Like... Ten seconds ago. What are you talking about?"

"You... called to me..."

"Uh, I did not. I mean. I was calling for you earlier...?"

"Oh my God. Your head..." Shoko sees the wound on the back of his head. It's bleeding quite a lot, and blood has trickled down to his forehead, and has drenched his shoulders. "Shit, we need to... Like... Disinfect the wound and wrap it up!"

"...My head hurts..."

"Well, yeah! No shit."

"Who did this?"

"You did, asshole." Konoe struggles to a sitting position but the world is dizzy around him. Shoko holds onto him as he tries to steady himself. "I can't... I can't believe you... I said I was sorry for hitting you... You... You didn't have to..."

"I swear on my life I had nothing to do with this!" Daisuke moves to face Konoe. Konoe's eyes are a little unfocused but he can see Konoe is still there and mostly lucid. "I swear it."

"Swear... on Yukino?"

Tatsuma Yukino; Daisuke's sister, who is Konoe's girlfriend.

"Dude, I swear on Yukino and my parents and fucking... fucking anything else you want me to swear on. I didn't do this!"

"..." Konoe moves to his feet but is held up by both Daisuke and Shoko. He shouldn't be moving like this, but they can't exactly stop him either. "...Who... Who hit me...?"

Shoko looks around. There's a lead pipe on the ground. Covered in blood.

She picks it up, stupidly, as if she can't imagine what it's there for.

Daisuke continues to hold Konoe up. He seems to be okay, aside from the dizziness and having been unconscious. He probably had a concussion.

She turns around and shrieks again. Loudly.

"Please... stop screaming..." Konoe murmurs weakly into Daisuke's shoulder.

"What...? Holy. Shit."

On the wall, written in blood...

**I HAVE A SECRET**

"What... What is this?!" Shoko squeals her words out.

"A secret? What...?!"

Konoe's eyes suddenly retain some focus. He begins to pat down his body.

"Fuck... No... No, no, no..."

"What's wrong?"

"I... I can't..."

"H-Hey. Um... We need to get your head looked at. And... A change of clothes?"

"It..." Konoe looks beside himself. His head is screaming.

"Come here." Daisuke moves and picks Konoe up, moving him onto his back. "Holy fuck you are heavy."

"Thanks." He deadpans.

"No problem. Shit... Have you been bulking up..."

"Let's go down the emergency stairs. It'll be quicker."

"Come on, big guy. We... gotta master some stairs."

"I'm... I'm sorry..." He mumbles. "I'm sorry I... hit you before."

"Yeah. Me too. Fucking bruiser."

"And I'm... sorry I accused you."

"Forget about that for now."

"Careful with the stairs..." Shoko leads the way.

~ ~ ~

She has no idea how long she's actually been in the freezer.

Just that it's cold and dark and the more she panics and the more she realizes she isn't dressed for the cold makes it that much worse. She can't hear anything from the outside save for the dull and distant hum of the freezer itself.

What... What is happening?!

She wasn't sure if she should keep hitting the door, but it hadn't worked before. It only made her tired.

She hears some movement outside. Something...

Like metal scraping...?

At once she flies to the door and slams on it again.

"Let me out! Please, let me out!"

All at once, the door opens, and she nearly spills right onto the person who opened it, who dodges only barely.

Warm air floods in around her. Warmer, anyway.

"Nishikado...?" The voice is masculine. And when she looks up, she sees that it's Yuuhi. "What... happened...?"

Kaya moves her mouth to answer him, shooting up to stand but she's shaking very hard.

Yuuhi awkwardly takes off the school jacket and hands it to her. She accepts it maybe too greedily and wraps it around herself for warmth. It feels like it's on fire with how cold she is.

"Shir... Shirahase... Locked me in..."

"What? Why-"

"I have no fucking idea okay?!" Kaya snaps at him as he closes the door to the freezer. There's a crowbar there.

"I heard you scream. So I came. This was blocking the way."

"Well... Thanks... I... Yeah. Thank you."

"What's been going on?" He asks blankly. "I was reading and then... I heard you screaming."

"Well... Fuck... I wish... I wish someone else had heard me... Because I was screaming for a while!" She says with shallow gasps.

"Let's... Get you something warm. Or. Water? I don't think we'd be allowed to boil anything. But the bathroom will have hot water?"

He makes sure that she goes first and closes the pantry door.

Jinichi rumbles by them like a hurricane, screaming his head off. The two stare at each other in confusion as he rips through and continues on down towards the first floor.

"What was that about...?"

"Fuck if I know..."

Kaya walks quickly towards the bathrooms before handing Yuuhi back his jacket.

"Thanks. I... appreciate it."

"You really heard Utsumi...?"

"Yeah. I... I'm pretty sure. I mean..."

"Holy fuck, you guys. Please take him he's..."

Daisuke stumbles down the hallway with Shoko in the lead, carrying... a bleeding Konoe on his back. Daisuke nearly crashes into the floor.

"I told you I was feeling okay to walk..."

"Not... an option..."

Kaya goes pale seeing the blood and turns away.

"The fuck did you do?! I told you not to him him!" She says not looking. "I told you don't punch him! What the fuck is it with men?!"

"I... didn't do this..." Daisuke tries to stand back up but Konoe hops off, shaky, but tired of seeing Daisuke trying to lug him around.

"I... I don't know. Someone... hit me."

"Did you see who?" Yuuhi's eyes narrow.

"No, but I... I mean I thought I heard...?"

The monitor springs to life suddenly with some kind of cheery school tone and... Him. Monokuma.

bing Bing BIng BING

And then... the words came out that no one wanted to hear:

"A body has been discovered! Following a brief investigation-"

Kaya's face drops. The rest of the words... She can hear them, but not comprehend them.

"A body...?" Konoe begins to shake and Daisuke immediately grabs him. "Who... Was... I didn't die, right...?"

Daisuke punches him dead in the arm. 

"Did you feel that?"

"Fuck! Yes! Stop... I'm... injured!" Konoe rubs his arm.

"Then you're not dead."

"Then... who... Who died...?" Shoko begins to shake. "When three or more people... find a dead body..."

"Ebihara, you and Tatsuma should help Sakurai." Yuuhi decides quickly. "Nishikado and I will... Go. And... find out what happened."

"Are... Are you sure?" Daisuke looks to Kaya who looks... bad.

"What... What happened...?" Kaya says quietly. "Why... Why is this happening...?"

"You need to treat Sakurai. Just... Please do it."

"Alright. Shoko. Gird your loins. We're heading into the boys bathroom."

"Wha-" She begins to protest as Daisuke pulls Konoe along towards the shower area. "Wait. Let me... I'll check the store. See if there's a first aid kit."

"Hurry. And be careful."

"Daisuke, go. She shouldn't go alone."

"What? Oh. Um... Yeah. Don't die while I'm gone."

The two run off and Konoe slumps against the wall. He makes a bloody smear.

Although Yuuhi would like to move on ahead, Kaya refuses to leave him there. And so they wait...

~ ~ ~

_We had no idea what had happened but..._

_Someone had died. Someone... had died...?_

_And that meant... Someone killed someone else. But... Who? And who killed them? And why?!_

_There was so much about this first case that I didn't understand._

_Had I done the right thing? Could I have prevented this somehow...?_

_I still don't know._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Living: 14?  
> Dead: 2?


	10. The Weak are Meat

_The Body Discovery Announcement plays when 3 or more people find a dead body..._

_Who had died? And how? And who... who killed them?_

_There was so much to the first case I really didn't understand. But when it was over... I... I understood a little too much. And that's why..._

_The first case was our first plunge into True Despair._

~ ~ ~

"I'm back! I'm sorry... I..." Daisuke huffs out of breath carrying a change of clothes from the school store.

Shoko comes back scurrying after her with two first aid kits.

"Why did you get two?"

"I didn't know many bandages I'd need."

"You ready to get washed up?" Daisuke's tension belies his forced cheery tone as he helps Konoe stand up.

"Then we'll leave it to you." Yuuhi says before turning to Kaya. "We should go."

"Yeah... Will you guys be okay?"

"Probably. Konoe might end up scarring Shoko for life, though." Daisuke laughs.

"...Too late for that." Shoko mutters under her breath.

...

Yuuhi and Kaya hurry their way across the second floor, but they haven't found anything or anyone else. Which leaves... the first floor?

That was the way Jinichi had gone. That was the only place they hadn't looked yet.

If it wasn't Konoe... and it wasn't her...?

Who had died...?

As they descended the stairs from the second floor and into the atrium they...

Kaya shrieks, covering her mouth instantly. The noise comes out hoarse and muffled.

Everyone else is there and immediately take notice of them.

"What happened?"

Yuuhi's eyes spot Chisato first who is waiting at the bottom of the stairs. She... doesn't look good.

"Kaya... I... He..." She can't form words, and even if she could, Kaya isn't listening.

She bolts past her without a second thought... to the body lying near the front of the atrium...

"Kaya, you shouldn't..." Tsubaki says weakly but Kaya brushes past her hard enough that Shirahase has to catch her.

"Who..."

She kneels down beside the body of Ayumu.

The blood is... everywhere. Scratches and gouges in the floor. A wrench right by him. He's...

As if she can't believe it, she reaches out to feel his hand, checking for a pulse but... He's... growing cold.

"Who did this?!" She angrily scans the room.

"H-Hey... We..." Yoshiki says gently coming to her side. "We should back away. Just..."

"Which one of you did this?!" Ayumu... "I thought I made it perfectly clear, if one of you were going to kill anyone then you should have gone after me!"

Upon saying it, there's... the realization that she's accepted Ayumu was killed.

"Nishikado." Shirahase comes to her but Kaya angrily slaps her hand away.

"Don't you fucking touch me, I know what you did!"

"...?" Shirahase looks more confused than hurt.

"That's enough. Please." Yuuhi says quietly. "We... Monokuma said there would be an investigation. And..."

"A class trial..." Ran is still shaking. "But... what does that mean?"

"You asked and so I shall answer!" Monokuma's carefree words pierce the air and immediately set Kaya further on edge.

"He showed up." Matsunaga grits his teeth.

"Well, well... It looks like Okui Ayumu _was_ the first to die! I must be psychic! Maybe I'm the Super High School Level Clairvoyant...? Just kidding! That sounds like the kind of character no one likes..."

"Shut up! Just... Tell us what we need to know and go away!" Tsubaki glares at him.

"You're seniors in high school, just set to graduate... How like you that it would go this way. You dragged your feet on the whole Final Exam thing at first, but all I had to do was give you a kick in the ass and already there's a body count! And not even a full eight hours after you got your motivation... Aren't you all just sleeping dragons? You could do so much if you only just applied yourselves!"

Monokuma's cackling makes Kaya spring into action. She nearly lunges at him but Shirahase has her before she can do anything. Even so, Kaya struggles in vain against the Weightlifter's hold.

"Tell us what we need to know. Please." Matsuri smiles calmly.

"So polite...! How could I refuse such a nice request..." Monokuma seems over the moon. "The investigation begins once a dead body has been discovered. You'll spend your time however you like, looking for clues, talking with people, crying in the corner... It doesn't matter. And after some time... We'll start the class trial!"

"...And the class trial is used for... figuring out who did it?" Ran asks slowly. "Because the culprit has to 'get away with it' in order to 'graduate'... Right?"

"Ooh! She got it right!" Monokuma smirks. "So do your best to find out who did it... Because if you pick the wrong person~ ...I execute everyone but the one who did it. And that person passes the Final Exam."

"...And..." Kaya has relaxed now, trying her best to adapt. Shirahase isn't letting go. "...One of them... killed Ayumu?"

"One of you all did! Maybe it was you, Nishikado Kaya!"

"Shut up! I would never!"

"Do they know that...? Maybe your little stunts were just to get everyone to drop their guard... Maybe you decided to perform Death of a Salesman all by yourself...?"

"No fucking way!"

"Oh, wait! I've got a gift for you! It's... The Monokuma File!"

Some kind of stupid jingle plays on their handbooks before he waits for their reactions.

"If that's it, leave." Yuuhi gives him a strong look. "We have work to do."

"Well, I'd badger you until I got a confession but... I'm a bear~"

And with that he disappeared again. Kaya trembles with fury.

"Um... Where are the others...?" Ran looks around. "We're missing people..."

"Sakurai, Tatsuma, and Ebihara are on the second floor." Yuuhi explains. "Someone attacked Sakurai but they're helping him now. He should be alright."

"Huh? The killer attacked two people?" Chisato questions, pale and shaky. "But... Why?"

"I don't know." Yuuhi says simply. "But... We would do well to get Sakurai's account on things for the investigation."

"How scary. A killer that went from the first floor to the third." Matsuri shudders. "How would they have done that...?"

"That's the purpose of the investigation." Yoshiki sighs. "So... Umm... Shirahase, er... Utsumi, would you mind standing guard over... Over... him?"

"Me?"

"If someone messed with the scene, it'd be bad." Yoshiki explains. "And you're the strongest person here, so..."

"Definitely not alone!" Kaya says once Shirahase has let her go. "Shirahase is absolutely involved!"

"...? I... I didn't do anything?"

"I heard your voice! You called out to me before you locked me in the freezer!"

"...The freezer?" She blinks. "On the second floor...?"

"Yes! I heard your voice!"

"Hey, um..." Tsubaki interjects. "That's not possible. Shirahase was with me for most of the night. We were moving things into the elevator."

"That's true. Those two were with me. It... It would've been hard for her to break away and do anything like that." Yoshiki says as officially as possible. "And even so, she wouldn't have been able to hurt Sakurai on the... third floor, was it?"

"Yup." Matsuri nods.

"...Then... Why did I hear your voice?" Kaya looks to Shirahase. She... She doesn't seem to be lying. She looks just as confused as Kaya. But...

"I'll stand guard with her." Oboro volunteers. "I'm afraid I know nothing about this particular case. I was in my own room on the first floor. So, I'll stay out of your way."

"...That's fine. Probably." Yuuhi says shaking his head. "We need to start the investigation."

"I'm going up to the third floor." Jinichi says loudly. "If that's where Sakurai was attacked then it's a secondary crime scene."

"I'll go with you." Ran nods.

"Me too." Tsubaki also nods.

"Take the emergency stairs, they're quicker." Matsunaga says quietly. "Speaking of... I would like to check on Ebihara and the others."

"If you're going up to the second floor, could I ask you to bring me a notebook?" Oboro asks politely. "I would like to make some of my own notes."

"...That's fine. I'll be down when I can."

The four of them move off in their own directions.

That leaves Yoshiki, Oboro, Shirahase, Yuuhi, Kaya, Chisato, and Matsuri left on the first floor to investigate.

"What do we do first? Alibis? Fingerprints?" Matsuri asks enthusiastically.

"We... don't have things to analyze fingerprints." Chisato says numbly.

"Start at the body. Then the rest of the atrium. But whatever you do, don't move things." Yuuhi says coldly. "That's what you two should be looking out for."

Oboro and Shirahase nod.

Kaya stares numbly at Ayumu's body. He... He was dying... So... Why...?

As people move around her, she slowly forces herself to move.

~ ~ ~

The Monokuma File reads: "The victim in this case, Okui Ayumu - SHSL Salesman - was killed at around 11:45 at night. He was killed with a blunt object to the head."

It's... very vague, for the most part.

Matsuri and Chisato are examining blood splatter and the marks in the floor.

"...Did you find anything?" Kaya asks quietly.

"He bled a lot." Matsuri says quickly. "An awful lot. There's... blood on everything."

"...Yeah." She can't focus on that it was Ayumu. She can't.

"I expected some kind of footprint in the blood, but... I'm not finding anything like that." Matsuri sighs. "But whoever killed him... must have been drenched in blood."

"There are... marks in the floor." Chisato says, trying to keep her composure. "I think he fought back. Or... the killer did. I don't know."

"Fought back with what?"

"Over here." Tendo says crouching. "My guess would be the wrench. The killer must have taken it and just swung wildly."

"There's already evidence of a struggle." Yuuhi says quietly. "Okui might have tried to defend himself. But I... can't tell if he was killed with one blow or multiple ones. It's..."

"It's alright if it's not your area of expertise." Shirahase says understandingly.

"I only know that the wrench was the weapon." He says standing. "There's rust in Okui's hair. And some on his hands. I think he tried to defend himself or..."

"Rust?"

"There's rust on the wrench." Oboro says. She's reluctant to pick it up, especially when it's covered in blood and gore.

"No dying message, no clues..." Chisato mumbles.

"...It bothers me that we didn't hear anything." Yoshiki grumbles. "We... We're not _that_ far away but... I didn't hear anything."

"Nor did I. I think some of the rooms might be soundproof. Did you hear anything, Tendo?"

"No. But my room isn't terribly close to the atrium. I would have expected you three to have heard something before me."

"Ah..." Shirahase sighs. "To think he was in trouble, and we didn't hear it. That... bothers me as well."

"Were you all together? The three of you - Mizuno, Utsumi, and Tachibana...?" Yuuhi asks pointedly.

"For the most part. We kept loading things into the elevator. Most of the time we were scouring some of the offices. We couldn't go into the rec rooms, so we had to go further back. But... I was mostly by the elevator itself." Yoshiki says calmly.

"What were you doing in the elevator?"

"I wasn't _in_ the elevator, I was _near_ the elevator. There are some offices right by there. I was moving things in and out of them and into the elevator. But.. I didn't hear anything. Maybe because the partition doors are closed...? I don't know. I..." He looks genuinely upset. Yoshiki is the class representative, it makes sense that he would take this personally. "And... I was trying to bring some entertainment stuff up to the second and third floors. Lighten the mood... Shit. Nothing's going to lighten this..."

"...The elevator never moved then?" Kaya asks, a question that had been wriggling in her mind.

"...No, I don't think so. If someone had been at the elevator down here, I think I'd have seen them. And the atrium's right by the stairs to the second floor."

"That is true..." Oboro mumbles and then quickly composes herself. "But if the elevator was being used here, then it was not used anywhere else...?"

"If that thing had taken off, I would have noticed, I think. Every time I opened the elevator, it was right here on the first floor. If someone had called it up to a different floor, I would've had to have waited for it to come back down."

"I see..." Yuuhi says quietly. "Your alibis are a little suspect, but I'll allow it."

"Allow it?" Shirahase frowns.

"...A-And besides..." Yoshiki is suddenly nervous. "If the killer did use the elevator, and they were covered in blood... One of the buttons would be bloody? Right? And the stuff inside might've gotten blood on it."

"Mm..." Yuuhi considers it.

"That's not really the only problem. If someone had used the elevator, it wouldn't necessarily need to be the killer." Matsuri smiles. "But if it never left the first floor, then it's fine. I do worry about any blood that might be on the second floor from a killer dripping in blood..."

"Konoe was pretty messed up." Kaya says with a sigh. "It'd be hard to figure out which blood is his and which is... Ayumu's..."

"Nishikado, would you be okay moving on?" Yuuhi stands. "I'd like to investigate the second floor now. But if you're not up to it..."

"It's fine."

"I'll stay here." Chisato says glumly. "I don't... want him to be alone..."

"You sure?" She gives her a quizzical look. "You... seemed really upset before."

"Well... yeah, who wouldn't be?"

"No, I mean... Back on the second floor. I saw you crying. That was before... Well... You know."

"...Oh." Her expression turns sour. "...Yeah. Well... You know. It's been a bad day. It's... still a bad day."

"Yeah. It is. And Ayumu..." Kaya grits her teeth. "I should have... if I'd known..."

"Did you... talk to Ayumu before this?"

"No. Not really. Just... normal stuff. Why?"

"He never mentioned a special spot...?"

That again?

"No. Not to me. Why?"

"He told me he wanted to talk later. He was going to tell you too. I guess... He didn't get a chance."

What had Ayumu wanted to talk about? She... She wasn't sure. And now she'd never know...

"That's what you were talking about before."

"Yeah. I... I guess he didn't have time. To say it. Or... It doesn't matter, I guess. Ayumu... is dead."

"Yeah. He is..." And that was... unforgivable. "So... You stay safe too."

"...I'll try. I'll... definitely make it out of here." She smiles then. "Well, I won't keep you. Go on ahead. They're waiting for you."

"I get it. Stay... Stay safe, Chisato." Kaya says quietly.

"I'll come along!" Matsuri volunteers. "I want to help."

"...Have it your way." Yuuhi says and begins to go up the stairs.

Kaya and Matsuri follow.

That leaves Chisato, Shirahase, Oboro, and Yoshiki on the first floor.

~ ~ ~

When they make it back to the second floor...

"Please stop fussing over me, I am not a child." They can hear Konoe talking loudly in the hallway.

Coming closer, they see him in... pajamas? Blue pajamas with yellow stars on them. At well over six feet tall, he looks like the biggest kid at a slumber party.

Kaya has to take a moment, a sudden fit of giggles overcoming her. This is just too absurd. She loses herself in the moment, and when she realizes she's laughing she wants to slap herself. Now is not the time for that.

"You're feeling better?" Yuuhi asks as they approach.

Konoe looks clean now, and his head is tightly bandaged.

"...I wouldn't say better, but I'm okay. Ebihara was making me a mummy." There is some hair still visible. The bandages have some blood on them, but he looks much better, and clean.

"I... I said I wasn't sure how many bandages to use. So... I just... did all of them."

"The disinfectant hurt. A lot."

"What are you wearing?" Matsuri is also chuckling.

Sakurai turns to Daisuke accusingly.

"What? You... Your clothes were all bloody. So I got you some other stuff at the store."

"Why not a uniform? Or gym clothes?"

"...I figured you would be resting. You shouldn't be up and around."

"There's going to be a class trial. I can't just..." He shakes his head. This hurts too much to talk about it.

"The others came through here. I filled these three in on what happened." Matsunaga, who had been off to the side says it simply. "I think most of them are on the third floor now."

"Is there anything to investigate here...?" Kaya looks to Yuuhi.

"Alibis!" Matsuri says before turning to Matsunaga. "Where were you on the night in question?!"

"..."

"Please?" She asks simply.

"...Ebihara and I were speaking in the emergency stairwell." He says simply. "I don't remember what time it was exactly."

"That's right." Shoko nods. "We broke off after that, and Matsunaga went to the second floor. I went to the third. And that's when... Well, I couldn't really get my mind to calm down, so I went walking around and..."

"Found me?" Konoe asks.

"Yeah... That... was about midnight."

"Hmmm... Suspicious, very suspicious." Matsuri says impishly.

"What? Why is that suspicious?"

"Assuming you aren't working together..."

"I didn't kill anyone!" Shoko says angrily. "If I'd killed anyone, why would I have helped?!"

"...Then you two were in a very suspicious place around the time of the murder!"

"Huh?"

"Matsuri's right." Kaya sighs. This girl is exhausting. She can't figure Matsuri out at all. "You were in the emergency stairs. And the elevator was in use... You didn't see anyone use the stairs?"

"...I didn't."

"It's possible that someone tried to come in from the first floor." Matsunaga shrugs. "But Ebihara and I were speaking on the second and third floors before our talk ended... If someone had come up the stairs, one of us would have seen it. But it is possible we were noticed... Still... No one used the stairwell when we were there."

"That's right."

"Interesting... And yet..." Matsuri smiles before looking to Yuuhi. "I think we have another mystery!"

"..."

"It's not a mystery." Daisuke groans. "Whoever it was... Killed... Ayumu... and then went up to the second floor, and then up to the third."

"That's... Plausible."

"I don't know." Konoe rubs his bandaged head. "I don't know when I was hit. I just know I was unconscious until... Whenever they came."

"Around midnight."

"And Ayumu was killed at 11:45... So... Maybe fifteen minutes? More or less?" Daisuke shrugs. "But we don't know who got hit first."

"There's still the freezer." Kaya says quietly. "Someone locked me in..."

"What?" Matsuri makes a face.

"It's a long story. But... I didn't see anything suspicious. Except that it was Shirahase's voice. Who says she didn't leave the first floor."

"..." Konoe looks to Daisuke. "I heard your voice. I know that."

"Well... I mean, I swear I didn't hit you. And Kaya saw me! We talked right after you left."

"That's right. He... was looking for you. And then he went after you to the third floor."

"Then..." Konoe sighs and shakes his head. "I don't really understand it."

"What surprised me is how much blood there was." Shoko grimaces. "I thought for sure you'd died... But the Body Discovery Announcement didn't play when we found you."

"Because I was still alive." Konoe nods.

"...When did it play?" Yuuhi looks to them.

"Uh... Well, it must have been a little after midnight. I think. It was definitely after we went to get him cleaned up... Right?"

"Yeah. We took Konoe down the emergency stairs so it'd be quicker. But even so he was still really heavy."

"No one asked you to carry me." Konoe glares defensively.

"You could barely stand! What was I supposed to do, let you fall down the stairs?"

"But was Ayumu killed after midnight?" Matsuri pauses.

"No." Yuuhi states flatly. "The Body Discovery Announcement plays after a body is found, not after someone is killed. Ayumu was killed around 11:45, according to the Monokuma File. He just wasn't discovered by three people until past midnight."

"Oh! Jinichi!" Kaya says suddenly. "We should talk to him. We... We saw him run by on the second floor after I got stuck in the freezer. He might've been the third one to find the body."

"...Why didn't he use the emergency stairs?" Shoko groans. "It takes forever to get from one floor to the other."

"He probably didn't know they were there. Or wasn't listening. Or he's stupid." Matsuri laughs.

"But..." Kaya pauses. "If the killer moved between the floors, then... Is fifteen minutes really enough time?"

"Huh?"

"She means, can you run from the first floor crime scene, up to the second floor, then up to the third floor..." Yuuhi nods.

"And then I assume you'd have to go back down to the second floor." Shoko says quickly. "Because... Well, that's just... there was so much blood..."

"Yeah, you'd totally have to clean yourself off and get some new clothes." Daisuke nods. "Oh, that reminds me. Your stuff's in the washing machine. Some of the washers were full so I just put it in one of the free ones."

"Thanks."

"...Would there have been enough time to clean yourself off after...?" Yuuhi says quietly. "Or... did they clean up twice...? How would that work...?"

"Kaya, you were locked in the freezer, right?" Matsuri says quickly. "I'm gonna go give it a look."

"...Have fun. I am not going near that thing again."

~ ~ ~

On the third floor, they could hear Jinichi barking orders at Ran and Tsubaki almost immediately.

"Hey... Is it okay to leave Matsuri alone...?"

"It should be fine." Yuuhi says without much interest. "Everyone else is accounted for. I don't think anyone on the second floor would try to hurt her."

"You say that but..."

"If anything, I'm more worried about her disrupting evidence. So it's better she's out of the way."

That was... hostile.

"I said don't step in it!" They hear Jinichi yelling.

"I'm not stepping in anything, I haven't even moved!" Tsubaki counters.

"...You guys are loud." Kaya says curtly. The third floor must have better acoustics than the first.

If Ayumu had been killed up here, someone definitely would have heard it.

"I'm making sure that the crime scene is not tampered with!" Jinichi says with utmost authority.

"...Anyway, we found some stuff." Tsubaki ignores him.

"There's... a lot of blood." Kaya feels sick just being there.

Where Konoe was hit, there's blood splatter on the walls, on the floor... And she's pretty sure she smells bile or vomit (from Daisuke, though she doesn't know that).

"...Yeah. It's like... splatter-fest in here." Tsubaki groans nervously.

"But, that's a clue, right?" Ran says kneeling by a lead pipe. "If there were this much blood, the killer would have been covered."

"Yeah. It was... it was this way on the first floor too." Tsubaki says quietly. "I mean... I've seen some grisly stuff out in the wilds but... usually it's just animals mauling other animals... Or a man-eating tiger or..."

"We get it!" Jinichi shakes his head.

"Who was it who first found the body?" Yuuhi looks to them.

"Well... It was..." Tsubaki thinks. "I think it must have been me and Shirahase. We had finished loading things into the elevator and we saw it. And then we went to go find Yoshiki. He couldn't hear us when we were calling to him."

"...I think I'm the third." Jinichi says nervously. "After what happened up here, they told me to go find people to get help or warn them... I... just ran. And I nearly barreled over Ran and Matsunaga when they came out of their rooms on the second floor. But when I came down the stairs, I saw ... I saw him. And... Then the announcement started."

"Were Mizuno and Utsumi there when you arrived?"

"...I don't think so. They must've seen the body and then went off. And then I found it. And they came back."

"Then Matsunaga and me came downstairs." Ran adds. "And Chisato joined us too along the way, I think. I... I don't remember where anyone was."

"..." Yuuhi thinks it over.

"By the way..." Kaya stares at one of the walls. "What the fuck is that?"

"Oh. Yeah... 'I have a secret'..." Tsubaki shakes her head. "Someone with a sick sense of humor."

"Did Sakurai write this himself?" Jinichi grits his teeth.

"How would he have? He was unconscious." Tsubaki rolls her eyes.

"But... a 'secret'... Why did someone kill Ayumu? He already revealed his secret." Ran sighs sadly. "It must have been someone who didn't want to reveal theirs..."

"More importantly, why is there writing here and not downstairs?" Jinichi frowns looking at the words. The others take a moment to stare at him. "What?!"

"...It... It was a good point. I think we were a little stunned."

"Don't be stunned, I have a brain! I know how to use it!"

"...And the killer used this lead pipe." Ran says pointing at it. She'd tried to pick it up before but Jinichi had yelled at her.

"Where'd they get this?!" Kaya glowers.

"There's tons of odds and ends all over." Jinichi shakes his head. "I think whoever was here... Or... Used to be here... had been trying to board themselves in. There were a few weapons all around the rooms like people were stocking up for... I don't know what."

"That is in line with the grates on the windows and the blocked doors." Yuuhi says quietly. "But a lead pipe is... Almost too ubiquitous."

"Ubi...?" Ran flinches.

"...Commonplace."

"Oh. Yeah. I see what you mean."

"The weapons in this case..." Tsubaki thinks back. "A wrench... And a lead pipe. It's like that board game..."

"There was also a crowbar in the storeroom with the freezer." Yuuhi says simply. "Although it wasn't used for an actual murder, but..."

"Yeah, I know, I know..." Kaya says. "It was used to block the door to the freezer."

"Block it? For what?"

"To lock me in."

"...You were attacked?! Kaya, are you okay?" Ran immediately squeals.

"I'm fine! Relax. I'm... fucking angry."

"...Maybe the killer took you up on your offer." Tsubaki says it and then immediately wishes she hadn't.

"What... What does that mean?!"

"I... I... Well, you... You said all that stuff when Ayumu was..."

"You said you'd kill anyone if they hurt Ayumu." Jinichi moves in between Tsubaki and Kaya. "Maybe they tried to kill you because you made it a challenge."

"That's no excuse to try to kill me!"

"I'm not saying it is! I just mean... If they killed you, then... Ayumu would have been a sitting duck."

"Chisato's not as strong as you are." Tsubaki sighs. "...Maybe they wanted you out of the way. Maybe that's why you were put in the freezer. So you couldn't interfere?"

"..."

New rage boils over for Kaya. Someone... had tried to kill her? To get her out of the way?!

"Don't get too worked up yet. We aren't done investigating. It's too early for those conclusions." Yuuhi says calmly. "More importantly, there were three attacks. That's puzzling."

"...Huh?"

"One murderer can only kill two people at a time. Why would anyone have tried to kill three people?"

"..."

"Maybe... It was just to get Kaya out of the way? Maybe they had no intention of killing her?"

"It's possible. But it's quite a risk." He says simply. "Even killing two is a risk. That's more chances for something to go wrong. Is it... Is it possible that they were crimes of necessity...?"

"I see what you're saying. Well... I can sort of see how that would happen." Jinichi nods, thinking it over. "The weapons were a wrench, lead pipe, and crowbar? Maybe they were weapons of opportunity rather than something the killer planned to use."

"No, I don't think that's right." Tsubaki quickly counters. "The way they said it, Konoe got hit in the back of the head. Which means someone snuck up on him. It wasn't like he was attacking someone and they fought back... Someone deliberately snuck up on him and tried to take him out."

"Also, locking Kaya in the freezer is a deliberate act. The killer would have had any number of chances to let her out. Instead, they consciously shoved her in, and used a crowbar to shut it."

"Who got you out of the freezer?" Ran asks.

"Yuuhi." She states simply.

"Then maybe he's the one who locked you in in the first place." Jinichi's accusation makes Kaya's eyes widen as she turns to him.

Had... Would Yuuhi have done that?

"...If you're accusing me, I hope you have evidence."

"I'm just saying! It's possible!"

"Why would I? If the motive here was a secret, I don't have one." He'd told everyone his secret already. "I also don't have any reason to have hurt Okui or Sakurai. And if my intention was to kill Nishikado, I wouldn't have let her out myself."

"...Well... Maybe you... Just wanted her out of the way. To kill Ayumu!"

"And so I locked her in the feezer, killed Okui, washed all the blood off of myself, hit Sakurai, washed blood off of myself again, then went and got her out of the freezer just in time for you to discover the body... meanwhile I would have had to have gone to three different floors with blood on me and anyone could have seen me do it at any time...?"

"J... Just... It's a possibility..."

"...If that's how your mind works, it's best you don't say anything at the class trial. You'll only make things worse."

Yuuhi's words are definitely mean-spirited and Jinichi turns a strange shade of bluish purple.

"Um... So... I'm going to take pictures of the crime scene here." Ran says as she pulls out her phone. "That way we can leave the scene and go somewhere else. Okay?"

"...That's fine." Yuuhi says.

"Nishikado. There's an experiment I want to try. I'll find some volunteers."

~ ~ ~

"...What exactly are we hoping to accomplish by this?" Yoshiki stands there stupidly.

Yoshiki, Kaya, Matsunaga, and for some reason Matsuri, who volunteered for the experiment immediately, stand by the atrium stairs.

Oboro and Shirahase watch, also confused.

"I'm going to measure your running times." He says simply as he makes notes in his notebook. The school store also had stopwatches.

"...What do you want us to do? Just run?" Matsunaga quirks a brow.

"I want to see how quickly you make it to the third floor of the crime scene and then back to the bathrooms."

"...Huh?"

"Simply run to the second floor, then go up to the third floor where Sakurai was hit, then back down to the second floor by the bathrooms. That's the race."

"Oh, you're judging who can make it back and forth the quickest!" Matsuri laughs. "I got you, I got you..."

"Then.. We're the test subjects...?" Yoshiki makes a face.

"Two men, two women. Two athletes, two normals."

"...Normal." Yoshiki cringes at the word.

"I see..." Matsunaga crosses his arms. "Nishikado and I are the athletes... While Souma and Tachibana are the normals."

"Normal..." Yoshiki repeats again.

"Non-athletic, if you prefer." Yuuhi ignores him. "But the most important thing is to see how fast Nishikado makes it."

"...Huh?"

"You're the fastest in the class." He says without looking at her. "You and Sakurai are the quickest athletes, but Sakurai is in no condition to run from floor to floor. Matsunaga is the other obvious choice, because he also has good lower body strength."

"Then..." Oboro makes notes in her notebook. She'd been scribbling who was where and on what floor before all of this. "You're hoping to see what kind of person was capable of this?"

"Something like that. More importantly, you four are the least likely to have committed these crimes. Nishikado, Matsunaga, and Tachibana have alibis... more or less. And... I can't imagine Souma capable of doing all three crimes."

"Aw, I'm flattered and insulted." Matsuri laughs.

"I'll mark your go time. On the second floor, Sakurai will mark your time past the bathroom. Tatsuma will mark your time at the stairs. And Ebihara will mark your time at the third floor crime scene."

Chisato stares, mystified at the entire thing. It seems very complicated.

"On your mark..." The four of them move into position, but as expected, Yoshiki and Matsuri can only vaguely mimic Kaya and Matsunaga's ready poses. "Get set... Go."

It's an anticlimactic "go", but the four of them are off and up the stairs.

Kaya leads the pack by a large margin, Matsunaga after her. Then Yoshiki, trailing behind... and Matsuri lags behind the furthest.

Kaya has always been good at track and field things. Cycling has given her great leg muscles, and only Sakurai is a real opponent when it comes to running. She easily breezes past them all and clears the entire second floor before Matsunaga reaches the stairs. Yoshiki huffs his way past Daisuke and climbs stairs... and Matsuri has only just barely made it past Konoe at the bathrooms.

Kaya rushes in, towards the smell of blood and Shoko waving her arms like a beacon. She finishes, skids to a halt and runs back, just as Matsunaga is about to make it halfway through the third floor.

She nearly jumps down the stairs, passing Yoshiki quickly who nearly falls to one side.

"Out of my way, shrimp toast!" She calls as she dashes down the stairs.

"Sh... Shrimp toast?!" Yoshiki can't stop to rebuff her, huffing and puffing as he runs up the stairs.

She nearly runs over Matsuri who has only just now made it to the stairs at the second floor. There's no way anyone is actualy that slow!

She zooms past her and makes it to the finish line, raising her arms in victory. Although... She has to remember, it's a murder investigation...

There's no time to celebrate.

Matsunaga zips past Matsuri on the stairs and crosses the finish line almost two minutes after Kaya.

Yoshiki comes in at third, five minutes behind Kaya.

And Matsuri nearly stumbles over the finish line, almost collapsing, ten full minutes behind Kaya.

"That... That... was awful..." Matsuri is out of breath and panting hard. She's all red.

"Damn, you're slow!" Kaya can almost bring herself to laugh. Almost.

"I'm... I'm a... Ventriloquist... Not... a runner..."

"I wish you'd been there." Kaya gloats looking to Konoe in his ugly star pajamas. "I would've destroyed you too."

"Uh, yeah. I have a gaping head wound." He deadpans.

"Shut up, you know what I mean."

They all come down to report their findings to Yuuhi, though Matsuri has a hard time making it down more stairs.

Everyone has gathered now.

"...Interesting." He says quietly.

"What... What's interesting?!" Jinichi asks impatiently.

"Ayumu was killed at 11:45... Sakurai was found around midnight. Fifteen minutes."

"Yeah... And?"

"Kaya made it up and down the stairs in about eight minutes at her top speed. Matsunaga in ten. Yoshiki in thirteen. Matsuri in eighteen... More or less."

"...Meaning what?" Tsubaki frowns.

"Keep in mind, we don't actually know when Sakurai was hit on the third floor. And something strange emerges."

"Strange?"

"Someone supposedly cleared the floors in less than fifteen minutes. They were also able to clean themseles off and get new clothes, assuming the blood got on them. How long would that have taken...?"

"...Dude, I don't really get it. Are you saying Kaya did it...?" Daisuke asks blankly.

"I didn't kill anyone!" Kaya shouts angrily. "And whoever killed Ayumu... I'm going to fucking figure it out. And then you're going to consider execution a luxury."

And then...

"Hey, guys! This is... super boring. I mean... Just sooo boring. So... Let's start the class trial and get on with the whole shebang, right?! Did you find out who did it...? Did you find the blackened...? Who faces execution? Board the elevator and head down to the basement and we'll begin!"

...And just as quickly the monitor turns off.

"The basement...?" Yoshiki trembles. "I didn't know we could go down there..."

"It must be Monokuma's lair." Matsunaga nods.

"...I... I don't want to leave Ayumu alone..." Chisato trembles. "It's..."

"We have no other choice." Yuuhi sighs. "We simply have to do this. We can't give into his twisted idea of despair."

"...Despair..." Kaya repeats quietly. That was what Monokuma wanted. 

A world where people are pitted against each other. A world where it's kill or be killed.

And Ayumu... was killed.

"Utsumi, can you... help me move some stuff out of the elevator?" Yoshiki says timidly. "I... I didn't realize we'd be..."

"Of course. We need to make room."

"Then let's everyone clear some space and get this over with."

The others move on ahead.

Oboro closes her notebook and walks slowly. Shirahase walks with Ran and Tsubaki. Matsunaga and Shoko move on ahead.

Daisuke helps Konoe around, and Matsuri assists. Jinichi follows after. Yoshiki rushes ahead to the elevator to take things out.

Yuuhi gives a solemn look to Kaya... and then moves ahead.

"Kaya..." Chisato places her hand on Kaya's arm. "We... We need to..."

"I know."

"I'm sorry." Chisato says quietly. "I... I really messed this up."

"What do you mean?"

"...Let's just go. I don't want to do this but..."

Slowly... She moves.

One of her friends... If they can be called friends...

Killed Ayumu.

She looks back to him, but Chisato pulls her ahead. Chisato's right.

Being angry or sad isn't going to help them right now. All she can do...

...is bring this to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Living: 14  
> Dead: 2
> 
> Soon, an epic showdown in the class trial will emerge. And at the end of that...?


	11. The Strong Eat - Class Trial #1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter might be a little rough for some people. Read responsibly.
> 
> \- - - 
> 
> The curtain rises on the first class trial.
> 
> Okui Ayumu was killed! And one of Kaya's friends... is the murderer? Is something like that possible...?
> 
> What kind of person can kill a treasured friend...?

_The elevator ride down was emotionally charged, as you'd expect._

_The fourteen of us... descending into the depths. And where we ended up..._

_And what was waiting for us..._

_And what I was about to learn..._

_I'm sure you can imagine. You've seen this sort of thing before, haven't you?_

~ ~ ~ **Class Trial: All Rise!** ~ ~ ~

The fourteen of them awkwardly move their way into the basement staging area, a dismal shadowy corridor that opens into an enormously large room with horrendously tacky decorations, curtains on walls better suited for a dungeon.

Candleabras, gothic motifs, something that looks like someone threw Halloween decorations at a torture chamber.

And there, in the middle of the room...

"What... is that?" Kaya asks numbly.

Sixteen seats, with names on them. Assigned seats? 

Except... They're odd little witness stands rather than seats in the traditional sense.

"Everyone, come and take your seats... Class is now in session! All rise for the honorable, the dishonorable, your Judge... or rather, Referee... Monokuma!" 

Monokuma joyfully squeals from the top of a throne-like seat a little apart from them.

Rather than disagree, the remaining students find their "seats" and stand there, expectantly.

"In a class trial, you must find out... whodunnit. Here you'll debate with your classmates about who you think 'dunnit' and state your reasoning. Find the blackened, and only they will be punished... But if you pick the wrong person~ ...I'll punish everyone besides the blackened and they will get to pass their Final Exam!"

"...Okay, so you're saying we just need to figure out who did this? And why?" Jinichi asked, shaking internally. "And... that's it?"

"That's it, but not even the why! **We vote by majority rules**... So... While it might be fun to get a confession out of the culprit or your suspect... It's really not necessary!"

"Then a culprit might be innocent, and we could execute them?" Yoshiki seems to seize upon this.

"Well, like I said... Majority rules. But the majority could be very much mistaken. Take your time, take your time! But if you bore me... I'll just force you to vote. Although that's never happened before..."

"Fine. If you get marked guilty and you really did do it, you'd better confess." Jinichi says with a snarl.

"...No one's going to confess willingly, Hirano." Matsunaga rolls his eyes.

"Let's just start then, okay?" Shoko sighed, a little nauseous. "Let's... get this over with. Where... do you want to start?"

"I think it's best if we start with the victim and work our way from there." Yuuhi says from his assigned seat. "The victim in this case is Okui Ayumu, Super High School Level Salesman. The Monokuma File says he was killed with a large blunt object around 11:45 at night. Correct?"

"No objections here." Ran says trying to force cheer. "But... The murder weapon is something big and bulky, right? The wrench."

"That seems a safe assumption." Shirahase nods. "It was found next to Okui, and was covered in blood."

"How do you club someone to death and not get blood all over you? That's what I'd like to know." Matsunaga scoffs. "He must've bled everywhere."

"There... was a lot of blood." Kaya shivers.

"It's possible that the killer did get blood on them, and simply washed up somewhere." Tsubaki says quietly.

"What like the sinks? I mean, every floor has a bathroom."

"That wouldn't be a good way to do it." Oboro mentions boredly. "If you club someone to death, with that much blood... You'd be soaked head to toe. A little sink is not going to do much for you... nor for the blood on your clothes."

"Then... The laundry room?"

"Yeah, but isn't that risky? Like... Like super risky. The killer would've been covered in blood and then what, they walk upstairs to the second floor and use the washing machines and shower? And then get some new clothes from the school store?"

"Ran makes a good point. Sneaking around the second floor, washing blood off yourself and cleaning your clothes... is very risky." Oboro nods. "And yet, no one was discovered with blood on them, so it must be true."

"That's not true at all." Jinichi clenches his teeth. "Sakurai, you were covered in blood."

Konoe flinches as all eyes turn towards him. Everyone is capable of facing everyone else. The effect is torturously frightening. He also looks ridiculous in the pajamas compared to everyone else.

"...It was my own blood. I was hit with something. Further, I was on the third floor, and not the second." He sounds a little desperate, but maybe he's just on edge...? "And certainly not the first."

"Are you sure that blood wasn't just Okui's all this time?" Jinichi stares at him. "Weren't you just faking it?"

"How could I have done that? And why?" He grits his teeth. "I have a huge gash on my head, do you really want to see it?"

"It's certainly possible, though, isn't it? That you're the killer?"

"...Wait, that's obviously wrong." Kaya frowns. "If Konoe did it... Then why go up to the third floor at all? If I had killed someone and was covered in blood, my first instinct would be to wash it all off. Why would I risk going up an additional flight of stairs past everyone else and then pretend I got hit in the head? Being covered in blood would be suspicious all on its own, let alone making yourself the subject of an investigation. It's too risky! Too... Too... You know!"

"Besides, there'd be no point in me being on the third floor." Konoe says, exasperated. Jinichi really is an idiot sometimes. "There's no significance to the third floor except that I was attacked there."

"...I... can see the point in your logic." Jinichi retreats.

"Moreover..." Shoko shakes her head. "I bandaged Konoe myself. I saw his wound, it was real. And the iron pipe used to hit him was right there, covered in blood. It's unlikely he did it to himself. Or wrote the message himself."

"...Then was the wrench used to kill Ayumu? Or... was it the pipe?" Ran blinks.

"I'm fairly certain it was the wrench." Yuuhi says quietly. "The wrench itself was rusty. And Ayumu's wound had rust in it. The lead pipe wouldn't corrode like that... and it was found two floors up. It would be something if there was rust found in Sakurai's hair but, I think Ebihara would have noticed."

"If we are positing theories, can we clear something up first?" Shirahase keeps her composure as she speaks, but her voice is like ice. "Rather than saying Sakurai could not have done it, can we rule out anyone else who was on the third floor?"

"Meaning?"

"As Nishikado said, if your first instinct is to clean yourself up, then the washing machines and showers on the second floor are the best option. That would make those on the second floor more suspicious. Conversely, someone on the third floor going down to the first floor, cleaning up somehow, and then going back to the third floor is... difficult."

"Those on the second floor..." Oboro looks at her list. She'd taken note of where everyone said they had been at the time of the incidents. "Rivera, Kaya, Chisato, Matsuri, Matsunaga, Tatsuma, Ran."

"And the third floor?"

"Hirano, Sakurai, Shoko."

"...Which leaves the first floor?"

"Myself, Shirahase, Tsubaki, and Tachibana."

"But those alibis are easily messed up, right?" Daisuke asks quietly. "There's an elevator. You could just take it all the way down or up."

"No, not necessarily." Yoshiki rebuffs the point. "I was in front of the elevator on the first floor at that time. I was trying to move things into the elevator with Shirahase and Tsubaki - Utsumi and Mizuno, I mean. I don't think it went up or down without me knowing."

"What were you moving into the elevator?"

"Huh? Oh. Well..." Yoshiki smiles bashfully. "There were boxes of books, magazines, and some smaller TVs. I was going to bring them up to the third floor so we could have something to do. I mean... the tables and the couches aren't really the most comfortable things so..."

"That's right. Mizuno and I were assisting. Though I cannot say that we always were in contact with each other."

"Yeah, but I had the elevator there to load up. If it had gone up, it would have had to have come down when I pressed the button to open it. I would've noticed that. I think." Yoshiki says sighing.

"...Then, we're saying only the stairs could have been used."

"Ooh! A secret passage!" Ran says loudly.

"...There's no secret passage." Matsunaga rolls his eyes. "But I doubt anyone on the first floor would be the killer. Just based on common sense."

"Common sense?" Kaya quirks a brow.

"Okui was killed on the first floor. Why would you stay there? You'd be closest to the scene of the crime. You can't go up to the second floor, clean up, go to the third floor, whack Sakurai, go back down, clean up again, and then go back down to the first floor without using the elevators and expect to get away unseen."

"Maybe they were covered in blood while they hit Sakurai? Wait... Is that sanitary?" Ran flinches.

"If you did that, you'd be covered in blood the entire time. That's really suspicious isn't it?" Tsubaki frowns. "But why would you hit two different people? You'd have to clean up after each time... I'm with Matsunaga, the people on the first floor seem innocent."

"...Then for now, let's eliminate Mizuno, Tachibana, Tendo, and Utsumi as suspects. That should narrow things down. And I think we can also eliminate Hirano, Ebihara, and Sakurai on the third floor... Or at least, just Sakurai, who wouldn't have been able to do it." Yuuhi makes a note of it in his notebook.

"I don't buy that." Jinichi grumbles.

"It's as Mizuno said. If Sakurai did it to himself, which is impossible, then he would have had to have come down to the first floor, kill Okui, and go back up. And then injure himself."

"Well, we did hear him in the bathroom. It is possible!" Matsuri says smiling.

"No. I don't think so." Kaya frowns. "When Sakurai was in the bathroom, he came out wearing his regular rugby stuff. If he'd just killed Ayumu, he'd have been soaked in blood. Or at least wearing different clothes."

"True! And... Well, they didn't have rugby stuff in the store. I checked." Daisuke smiles.

"...So you got me the ugliest pajamas you could find?"

"I think they look good on you!"

"..."

"...They also were in your size which was harder to find."

"I thought as much." Sakurai rolled his eyes.

"Wait, wait, wait..." Shoko shakes her head. "Oboro, where were you on the first floor? We only heard about the other three. Were you even on the first floor?"

"Of course I was."

"What were you doing? And where?"

"I was reading. Alone. In one of the offices." Oboro gives her a frown. "And if it had been me, why would I incriminate myself by making a list of who was where?"

"I... Listen, I don't know!" Shoko sighs. "It's still suspicious that no one saw you!"

"And no one saw the person who hit both Okui and Sakurai. Is that not also suspicious?"

"Going back to what was said..." Konoe shakes his head. "What was the point of hitting me...?"

"Huh?"

"I was on the third floor. I was about to go to find something to settle my stomach or meditate, but... then I was hit from behind. When I woke up, I was there covered in blood and there was that message on the wall. That was how Ebihara and Hirano found me. What was the point of that?"

"We found you at like... midnight or something...?" Shoko recalls. "I remember that."

"..."

"The message was... **I have a secret** , right?" Tsubaki says thoughtfully. "Why would the killer write that?"

"Since the motive was secrets, maybe that was the reason?" Matsuri asks with great politeness. "The third floor is puzzling, however."

"Puzzling?"

"It was the furthest away from the crime scene, right?" Matsuri continues. "Is there a killer who can run from the first floor to the third that quickly...?"

Kaya flinches when she looks her way. Matsuri gives a puzzling sneer.

"Are... Are you accusing me?!" Kaya flushes. "I would never kill my friend!"

"Why not? You don't care for any of us. You make that abundantly clear at every turn." Matsuri's smile is thin and oily and makes Kaya even angrier.

"The killer would have to have been able to run from the first floor and then up to the third very quickly." Ran says quietly as if considering it to herself. "To be able to do both things... And then back down to the second floor to clean up... The killer had Ayumu's blood on them, then struck Konoe... and then cleaned up?"

"That's assuming that they were still covered in blood. It's incriminating to be soaked in blood and walk up two flights of stairs." Shirahase feels herself getting more and more confused. "But the time between the murder of Okui and when Sakurai was found are very close. So I suppose it is possible that they were still covered in Okui's blood."

"From where I'm sitting, that could have been done by Kaya herself." Matsuri says again with that stupid smile that makes Kaya fume. "When we tested our running times, Kaya cleared the floors in less than ten minutes."

"I get what you're saying, but I don't think she did it..." Konoe nods appreciatively. He had helped with that test. 

Still... Kaya...?

"The first floor's stairs are by the atrium. Running up to the second floor and then all the way across the second floor to get to the third. Can you really run that far and that fast...?" Ran sighs.

"I don't know when I was hit. But I was found at 12 midnight. It might not be a simple matter of five or ten minutes." He snaps decisively. "For all I know, I might've been out longer than that. Or I was hit first and was out while Okui was hit."

"But regardless, Kaya or any of the athletes were perfectly capable of it, I'd wager." Matsuri says again. "The non-athletic types, I don't know."

"There's an error in our assumption on the timeline. Keep that in mind." Yuuhi says, but no one really seems to be listening.

"There's no way Kaya killed anyone." Chisato says angrily. She'd been very quiet up until now. "There's no way!"

"You think so? She beat my time quite easily."

"There is the possibility of the large staircase in the back. It's the only one that connects all three floors. But that's where Matsunaga and I were talking. We would've heard something." Shoko shakes her head. "I don't get it."

"That's true." Matsunaga agrees. "Ebihara moved to the the third floor, and I the second. We were speaking in the stairwell."

"You were? About what?" Daisuke looks as if he's just heard something scandalous.

"She was asking about animals used in the circus." Matsunaga shrugs. "But I told her we no longer use them. She wanted to know about living conditions. And then she was asking me about elephants."

"It was that kind of discussion." Shoko says, somewhat embarrassed. "I never get to see the big animals. The biggest I've seen are horses. But an elephant..."

"I told her that of all the people here, Mizuno was likely the best to ask about riding an elephant. It was nothing particularly important, but Ebihara likes elephants... so..."

"Aw, that's cute." Ran practically squeals. "Are you dating?"

"Now's not the time for this! We have to discuss a murder!" Kaya growls at them. "We were talking about the third floor."

"'I have a secret'..." Jinichi repeats to himself. There's something weird there.

"If the killer ran up all three flights of stairs, then knocked out Sakurai, then ran back down to the second floor... It would be quite a lot of time spent running. Is that why you went into the freezer?" Matsuri chuckles. "To cool yourself off to avoid suspicion? It must have been cold after taking a shower!"

"The freezer?" Shoko quirks a brow.

"...Nishikado got trapped in a freezer." Matsunaga says quietly. "I didn't see it myself but we saw her after during the Investigation, and she did not look good."

"I didn't lock myself in, if that's what you're saying." Kaya continues to glower. "I thought... I thought someone was calling to me. And then I got pushed in and the door was locked."

"...Someone was calling to you?" Konoe's eyes widen in surprise. 

Had she said that before...? Why did it...

"It sounded like Shirahase. It was... 'Nishikado, I need your help'... It sounded just like her."

"...But... I was on the first floor. I didn't." Shirahase looks aghast. "I would never."

"I'm not saying you did. You... You have an alibi. I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier, by the way. It... wasn't nice. I'm... Ayumu... It's just a lot, okay? I'm sorry." Kaya shakes her head. 

"I understand. I accept your apology."

"I'm just saying what I thought I heard." Kaya looks away. Apologizing has never been her forte.

Konoe stares in disbelief at Kaya, beginning to shake. His head pounds.

"...'Sakurai, I need your help'... That's... what the voice said to me. It was Daisuke's voice."

"But I told you before I wasn't on the third floor. And I wouldn't have hit you." Daisuke frowns. "I... I wouldn't."

"No, I know that. But I could have sworn it was you."

"This doesn't have anything to do with secrets..." Matsuri sighs loudly. "Is this relevant?"

"Wait. It might." Jinichi says confidently. "I have proof."

"...Proof?" Shirahase looks at him skeptically.

"The people who revealed their secrets have no reason to try to kill anyone, isn't that right?" Jinichi says triumphantly. "Then the people who revealed their secrets are innocent!"

"...Congrats, dumbass. You just made yourself a suspect again." Matsunaga huffs.

"The people who told their secrets..." Tsubaki thinks back. "...Oboro, Kaya, Yuuhi, Ran, Daisuke, and Ayumu."

"Ayumu obviously didn't kill himself." Matsunaga snickers.

"I know that! I'm listing. Relax."

"But you're wrong, Mizuno." Jinichi smirks. "One of them was lying."

"Huh? Lying?!"

"Do you remember what they did when they told their secrets? Oboro, Kaya, Yuuhi... they all put their papers on the ground so anyone could read them if they wanted. And I've got them all. Except for one..." He levels a savage look at Daisuke. "Tatsuma!"

Daisuke immediately wilts under his gaze.

"...Wait, you kept their secrets?" Shoko scrunched her face in disgust. "Why the fuck would you do that?! That's so disrespectful!"

"Because I thought it might be evidence! After seeing that message I thought there would be a clue in the papers. And I was right! I have all the papers but Tatsuma's. And that's because Tatsuma made up a lie and didn't put his real secret down."

"...!" Tatsuma's face goes pale.

"It was... 'Tatsuma Daisuke picks his nose'... or something... Right?" Yuuhi thinks back. "I did think it was a soft touch compared to the other secrets. But... Hirano is right on one count; I don't remember Tatsuma putting his paper down. Tendo was the first to speak and she started the trend."

"True, I did." Oboro smiled. "Tatsuma, what is your secret? If you're not the killer... would you be interested in sharing? Or are you claiming that that actually _was_ your secret...?"

"If it was, show us the paper." Matsunaga says with an accusing look. "Then we'll believe you."

"I... I didn't do it!"

"But you could have called Sakurai over and hit him. Then you wrote the message. And you worked your way downstairs, washed up, and then killed Ayumu and washed up again." Oboro narrows her eyes at him.

"And what, worked my way back up after two showers and two changes of clothes? What's the matter with you, I told you I didn't do it! I would never hurt Konoe! And I wouldn't kill anyone either!"

"You have already killed." Matsuri smiles. "Is it such a stretch...? Maybe you got a taste for it...?"

"Fuck you, Matsuri. I was... I... I kept you safe. And you want to throw that back in my face?!" Daisuke has started to turn scarlet with anger.

"I don't believe you tried to kill me, Daisuke. For whatever that's worth. And I don't believe you had anything to do with Okui." Konoe states calmly.

"You are an athlete." Matsuri shrugs. "An Archer, yes, but I imagine you'd be quick enough."

"Then... Daisuke killed Ayumu?" Chisato blinks. "With the wrench?"

"I don't think we can decide any of that yet." Yuuhi shakes his head. "Besides, Tatsuma and Sakurai's recollections contradict something important."

"...It does?" Konoe blinks.

"Yes. It's something I picked up on, but maybe because I'm the Super High School Level Linguist... would it have been odd to me... The words they use. I noticed them."

"...Was that correct grammar?" Yoshiki thinks to himself. "That sounded like not correct grammar."

"Down, Copyeditor. Down." Shoko rolls her eyes.

"...In any case. Sakurai, what did the voice call out to you?" Yuuhi is somewhat embarrassed now.

"Well... it was Daisuke's voice but it said... 'Sakurai, I need your help!' ...Is that significant?"

"Very."

"I don't get it. What does that prove?" Chisato quirks a brow.

"Tatsuma, how long have you and Sakurai known each other?"

"We were... classmates in middle school. Ever since then."

"And you're friends?"

"Of course we're friends! Best friends! I'd... I'd never club him! I wouldn't hurt Konoe!"

"...Then there it is."

"There what is?!" Matsunaga growled. "Just because of 'Sakurai I need your help' you... Ohh... Oh, I see. I get it. Yeah, good catch."

"What did he catch?!" Shoko grumbled.

"...I've never heard Tatsuma call Sakurai anything but 'Konoe'..." Matsunaga explains. "He calls him by his first name because they know each other so well. Even Sakurai, who addresses mostly everyone by surname calls him 'Daisuke'... That is because they know each other so well."

"That... doesn't mean anything!" Matsuri gets louder. "Tatsuma could have just... decided to call him by his last name!"

"For what purpose?" Yuuhi stares her down. "If the goal was to get Sakurai to come, wouldn't it be best to be in character? Especially since they had just fought and Sakurai was reluctant to speak to him?"

"...So... Daisuke was out of character." Kaya considers.

"I told you... it wasn't me!"

"...But... if it wasn't you, who else could it have been? It was your voice. That was the only reason I went in the first place." Konoe sighs. "Not that I'm accusing you..."

"Then who was it? If it was Daisuke's voice...?" Kaya questions.

"True, but you also heard Utsumi call out to you, right...?" Yuuhi looks over to Kaya. "If you go by context clues... I think that culprit makes themselves evident."

"It was not my voice. Although... I would not have called her 'Kaya'... that is true." Shirahase thinks. "I don't like to appear disrespectful. But... I am flattered when others call me by my first name... But for me...?"

"But... That culprit?" Chisato flinches. "The one... who killed Ayumu?"

"..." Yuuhi smiles gently but says nothing else.

Kaya takes a moment to consider it.

If Yuuhi's right... Then the person who called out to her wasn't Shirahase. And the person who called out to Konoe wasn't Daisuke. Then...

Then...

...

......

............!!

"You!" She snarls and points at Matsuri. "What the fuck game were you trying to pull locking me in the freezer?!"

"...Excuse me?"

"You're being accused, Souma." Yuuhi smiles. "Because your talent gave you away."

"...Ventriloquism." Konoe stares before turning to her in a rage. "You mimicked his voice and hit me...?! Why?!"

"Putting things into proper context, you can assume that the person who tried to lock Nishikado in the freezer, and the one who assaulted Sakurai... is someone who can mimic others and throw their voice. Their message was more or less the same. Further, I would say it was Souma who wrote the message."

"...'I have a secret'...? Why would she do that?" Ran frowned.

"Boredom, I imagine." Yuuhi shrugs. "Who knows what goes on inside her head. But it's not the mind of a normal person. That much was obvious during the investigation. She's really quite deranged. Definitely abnormal."

"That was rude." Matsuri smiles.

"No hablo~" Ginka laughs in a malicious tone, mimicking Monokuma's voice.

"She's not even denying it!" Shoko glared.

"...The one who accused Tatsuma... was Matsuri. And the one who accused Kaya... was also Matsuri." Tsubaki thinks it over.

"Plus, Souma was the one who ran against Nishikado for the girls." Matsunaga glares down at her. "For all we know she went slow on purpose. Maybe she did it just to fuck with her in the first place."

"Uh oh, give the ninja a prize!" Ginka's boisterous voice came out with the appearance of the purple-haired puppet again.

"You deliberately volunteered for the race to make it look impossible!" Kaya grips the wooden rail in front of her so tightly she's afraid she'll snap it.

"There was a reason I let Souma run the race." Yuuhi smiles. "Not just because she volunteered. But I wanted to see if she'd take my bait... And she did."

"...Matsuri... killed Ayumu... with his own wrench...?" Chisato flinches. "That's terrible! What's the matter with you?"

"Now, now, sweetie... I'm just having fun..." Ginka's voice continues to sound even more menacing, while Matsuri smiles with a tart expression. "This case was so easy... SO easy... I was getting bored."

"Bored?" Yoshiki gasps. "Who... Who even _are_ you?!"

"My name is Souma Matsuri, it's very nice to meet you." She smiles her introduction. But her face quickly switches to something... mad and nasty. "...Or not."

"...She's a completely different person." Shirahase is stunned.

"She's a mimic." Yuuhi shakes his head. "We're used to seeing her mask. I doubt the real Souma is quite so kind-hearted. That's just an act. Another puppet show."

"Aw, baby, don't be like that. You know I don't like it when you're mean..." Ginka's voice squeaks. "I like you nice and in your place... at my feet!"

"...I'm sure." Yuuhi rolls his eyes.

"Then... Matsuri killed Ayumu." Chisato sighs. "...It was her."

"Non, non, non. I do protest!" Matsuri laughs. It comes out... wrong. Like a piano in need of tuning.

"Shut up with your protests, we know you did it!" 

"Are you sure...? If you think about what I did... Isn't it wrong? Isn't it all just wrong...?"

"...What's she saying?"

"Isn't that one too many people?" She laughs. "I mean, I can't kill three... That's against the rules."

"You only killed one!" Daisuke glares at her.

"No. Wait. I do see her logic." Oboro speaks up then. "There were three targets in this case."

"...Okui, Nishikado, and Sakurai." Matsunaga nods.

"Supposing she killed Ayumu..." Ran continues the thought. "Then... She also could have killed Kaya and Konoe. But that would be three... And that's too many."

"Bingo! Give the bitch a prize, it must be her lucky day!"

"...Matsuri, please don't talk to me like that." Ran recoils from the words like she's been struck.

"Were Souma the real killer... She wouldn't have locked Nishikado in the freezer or attacked Sakurai."

"That's..." Shoko thinks about it. "Sakurai's head wound could have been pretty severe. He had a concussion... If she'd hit him too hard... in just the right spot..."

"And Nishikado only made it out because I happened to hear her in the freezer." Yuuhi says quietly. "At any point, there might have been two deaths... Not counting Okui. Many things could have gone wrong."

"Which would have been very bad for me. I would have been punished." Matsuri laughs. "And by punished I mean executed. Whip - zam - pow - off with my head."

"But you could have been holding back! When you hit Konoe, you might've been holding back!"

"Well, the way I see it..." Matsuri gives that oily smile that now makes everyone nauseous. "Suppose I killed poor little Ayumu... I'm on the first floor. I have to run all the way up to the second floor. Then, for some reason, I decide to put Kaya in the freezer. And then I run all the way up to hit Sakurai? That seems an odd choice."

"...Huh?"

"I'd be at two! Why make it three?"

"...?" Chisato can't wrap her head around that logic.

"What she means is, if she killed Okui, her second move would have been to put Nishikado in the freezer, assuming she went up, covered in blood." Yuuhi says succintly. "That would be potentially two murders. She would have then run up to the third floor to hit Sakurai, another potential murder. Already at two... She couldn't make a mistake. But she went out of her way to hit Sakurai, which could have ended badly."

"Uh... I think I'm lost?"

"I believe he's saying that Okui was killed first." Shirahase looks over to Ran. "And frightening as she is... Souma would not have been able to attack two additional targets."

"Even if we say that Sakurai was attacked first, it's still the potential for a death. And then Nishikado would have been second. Both could have died, so then if Okui was killed last, it would have been a potential third even so. There would be no reason to attack three people. Attacking Sakurai, or killing Okui... whatever the order was, she would have stopped at locking Nishikado in the freezer. If for no other reason than just in case they died."

"Huh? But... He was..." Chisato's mind swirls.

"But Utsumi is right. I think Okui was killed first. Okui was killed at 11:45. And Sakurai was found at midnight. We've been working under the assumption that Sakurai was hit first. And we also were working under the assumption that the one who hit him also killed Okui. But we can't assume Souma attacked three people."

"Souma seems to have some information we don't. And she definitely did attack Nishikado and Sakurai." Matsunaga groans. This was all so damn confusing. "So if you put it like that... Then..."

"She must have known something had happened to Okui, who was killed earlier. If she had killed him, there would be no reason to have attacked anyone else. And even if her goal was multiple murders, she would have stopped at Nishikado."

"Yes. Because Sakurai and Nishikado were lured by her ventriloquism. That connects those incidents. If she had killed Okui... then why do two additional things?" Shirahase nods, understandingly.

"Wait... Okay. So." Tsubaki tries to put things in order in her mind. "Matsuri - being a dick for some reason - decides to be mean to Kaya. And then she goes up to the third floor..."

"And hit me." Konoe glares at her.

"And he was found around midnight, but might've been hit earlier than that. But probably definitely maybe after Ayumu was dead. But she definitely attacked two people already."

"And there would be no reason to risk attacking someone else. I get it." Ran sighs. "Even if the order was reversed, Kaya and Sakurai... both got tricked by ventriloquism. So it's still two. And both by Matsuri."

"...Then... Maybe she wasn't involved in one of the attacks!" Jinichi says, angrily. He honestly doesn't understand it. He's right, but he's way behind everyone.

"Correct, Hirano." Yuuhi says, nodding, which only confuses Jinichi.

"One of the attacks wasn't... by Souma..." Yoshiki says quietly. "Is that true?"

"If we think about it logically, then it had to have been Sakurai and Kaya who got attacked by Matsuri." Tsubaki groans. Yoshiki and Jinichi are useless. "Both of them heard a voice which was someone else's. That could only have been Matsuri doing her ventriloquism. That's what he means."

"I can agree with that. I think." Yoshiki nods. "Although..."

"You think?!" Jinichi growls. "Come on, you're supposed to be the class leader, be more decisive!"

"Let's decide who it couldn't have been then. Start eliminating suspects." Yoshiki brushes off Jinichi's words.

"It wasn't anyone on the first floor." Shirahase says thoughtfully. "Except for maybe Tendo. And it wasn't Sakurai, or Souma... And it wasn't Rivera or Nishikado. They were otherwise engaged. And it likely wasn't Matsunaga or Ebihara, who were speaking to each other."

"You guys are veeeeeery boring right now." Monokuma cackles. "Names and names and names, and no evidence! No spark! No murderous thunder!!"

"...I guess he wants us to accuse someone?" Tsubaki shakes her head.

"Is it possible that... This had nothing to do with secrets?" Ran asks gently.

"What makes you think that?" Yuuhi quirks a brow.

"Because Matsuri wrote the message, right?"

"True, true! I felt Sakurai's hard... bump..." She makes a lewd face at Konoe who recoils. "And decided to paint a pretty picture."

"..." Konoe glares at her.

"So, we should treat the death of Okui as a separate event." Oboro smiles. "Let's talk more about his death rather than what Matsuri was doing."

"Ayumu... was killed in the atrium. With a wrench. Which was found by him. And the floor had scratches and gouges, remember?" Kaya says thinking back. "There was a struggle."

"And the subject of secrets was only really there because of the message. We could just assume that it was the motive this time because it's what Monokuma wanted. And Souma played on that."

"Then, by that logic..." Shirahase says next, crossing her arms. "No one who confessed their secrets is in the clear?"

"...You think so?" Tsubaki's head was starting to hurt now.

"There are other reasons to kill someone. If secrets had nothing to do with it... then maybe someone who confessed their secret killed Okui anyway."

"...But why do that?" Chisato looks at her seriously. "Why kill him? He was dying anyway!"

"I don't know."

"Can I ask something...?" Yuuhi looks as if he's been struck by something. "...Where did the wrench come from?"

"Huh?" Kaya ponders it. "Uh... We saw it on the first floor with all the plates and stuff. Probably it got used to turn those big screws or whatever to bolt the door."

"That's right." Chisato nods. "We saw it there on our first day of investigation."

"Is it heavy?" He asks. "The Monokuma File says it killed him, but it doesn't say if death was instant. Or how many times he was struck."

"No, not especially heavy." Chisato frowns. "It's large, but I think anyone could pick it up. Boy or girl, if that's what you're asking."

"Then we have no fucking idea." Matsunaga groaned. "I'm stumped. Just... What else is there to go over? This whole case is fucking confusing. Up the stairs, down the stairs, times, who's where, and..."

"We could say the killer in this case could be male or female." Shoko puts her hands up in a shrug. "And is probably someone on the second floor."

"We've accounted for a lot of people. But not everyone." Ran says. "Was there anyone who was acting strangely?"

"Nishikado." Yuuhi looks to her quietly. "I think you must have an idea who did this."

"...What? Why would I?"

"Did anything that a certain person said sound wrong to you? Think. There was someone whose actions you didn't mention."

"...What?"

"Why were you on the second floor in the first place? The secret lies therein."

"Uhh... Well, if you're suspecting me, I was pacing. I'd talked to some people, Chisato, Konoe, Daisuke, Matsuri... Then I was still anxious so I went to find something to eat. And then I heard Shirahase... Well... I heard Matsuri being an asshole... And that's when I got pushed into the freezer."

"Yes, but you'd said you saw something when you were speaking with Chisato during the investigation. When we were in the atrium, you spoke with her. What was it you said? Can you explain the situation?"

"I saw...? Oh. I saw... Chisato running down the hall crying. I was going to go to her but I... Then... Utsumi's voice... That's what we were talking about. Chisato was... was..."

There's a momentary flash of realization as her eyes turn hard at Chisato.

"Wh-What...?"

"...Chisato, why were you crying? On the second floor?"

"H-Huh? Of... Of course I was crying! Who wouldn't? This... This whole situation... It's really fucked up!"

Yoshiki thinks back before gasping.

"The wrench! ...That's why you asked her if she knew how much it weighed." Yoshiki nods. "You... Kogure... You didn't want to pick up the wrench before when we did the first investigation, so how do you know how much it weighed...?"

"Wh... I'm... I'm a Carpenter. I know how to measure things with my eyes!"

"You can measure weight just by looking? Tell me, how much does Sakurai weigh?" Yuuhi gives a coy smile. "He has a lot of heavy muscle, I wonder if you can give an estimate. Maybe judge my weight as well. Give me your best estimation."

"...That's... What are you trying to say? I... I could have picked it up later and known how much it weighed!"

"...You..." Kaya looks at her, dumbly. "You... didn't want to touch it... It was rusty and bloody... You said..."

"There was also something you said, earlier." Shoko says quietly, suddenly shaking with anger. "I... I thought maybe you had misspoke but... You said he got killed **'with his own wrench'**... Why do you think he's the one who had the wrench?"

"Wh... What are you saying...?!"

"Any normal person who sees a murder scene would assume the killer brought the weapon to the crime scene or found it and then used it there." Yuuhi sounds as if he also caught it. "They wouldn't assume the victim brought a weapon that was used against them."

Kaya sees his look. He... He had a suspicion about her, but... He wanted her to figure it out. Why...? Why would he want that...?

"But you said 'with his own wrench'! You... You know something we don't."

"The way she makes it sound, it was Okui who had the weapon." Oboro smiles enigmatically. "There were large gashes and cracks in the floor... Did he attack you, Chisato? Did you take his weapon... and use it on him?"

There's a glimmer of horrified realization in Ran's eyes.

"Secrets have nothing to do with this." Ran says at once. "It... He... He was trying to kill... her?"

"What are you saying? Ayumu wouldn't try to kill anyone!" Kaya laughs nervously. "He... He was weak. And... And dying. Ayumu... That's not... He's not... that kind of person..."

"Or is he?" Oboro answers her. "We never know what kind of people we will become when pushed to extremes. Just look at Matsuri..."

"My, my, are we looking at me? Am I cute?"

"Not even remotely." Konoe glares hard at her.

"...If I've understood your hypothesis..." Yoshiki says. "Then we're saying... Okui attacked Kogure with the wrench he'd picked up... And in the struggle, he loses it... And then... Kogure uses it against him? And then... Then what?"

"So... Chisato would have hit Ayumu." Tsubaki nods. "And then upstairs... Matsuri was..."

"What about hitting Konoe?" Daisuke asks with gritted teeth. "Why did you hit him? What was the point of that?"

"Mm..." Matsuri smirks. "...'I have a secret'... Who do you think has a secret?"

"Obviously, it's you." He glares. "Was it that you torture animals like a psychopath?!"

"Non, non... Twas not myself I was referring to. It was a message, but who do you think it was for...? I left it right by his body, but maybe it was too subtle. The 'I' who has a secret... Darling Sakurai has a secret. A big one. Do you remember...?"

Sakurai flinches and freezes up in panic. "Wh... What did... You... You... No..."

"That's right, sweetheart." Matsuri smiles and pulls out the envelope with Sakurai's name on it: Sakurai Konoe. "I wanted to see what got you so scared. And so..."

"You knocked him out to take a peek?" Tsubaki flares up with anger. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Oh? You can have it back..." Matsuri smiles and throws the envelope back at him. Konoe all but scrambles for it. "I already know what it is."

"...You... You're... That's... That's a lie! That's gotta be a lie...!" Sakurai's ghostly pale.

"Is it? ...'Even though Sakurai Konoe is dating Tatsuma Daisuke's older sister'...?"

"...Shut up... Shut up, shut up, shut up!!"

"..." Daisuke can see it's the real thing. "What...? Even though...? Even though what?!"

"...Sakurai doesn't want you to know. He doesn't want anyone to know. Least of all you, Tatsuma. Or... Can I just call you Daisuke and Konoe now? I think we've reached that point in our friendship. Do I get a pair of your underwear for maxing out the social links...?!"

"...The fuck?!"

"...Then the goal of hitting Sakurai was to get his secret." Shirahase nods grimly. "It had nothing to do with the murder. It was because that's the way she is..."

"Then why did you write that stupid fucking message in his blood?!" Daisuke clenches the wood of the rail in front of him tight. "The fuck were you trying to do?!"

"...That was for funsies. Duh. A little taunt, a little misdirect."

"F-?!"

"Why would you do that...?" Yoshiki is in utter disbelief. "You're... We're classmates."

"..." Matsuri begins to laugh. "Yes... Well... Two of our classmates are dead. And a third is about to join them. Why would I put my faith in all of you...?"

"What...?!"

"I don't trust any of you. Not one bit. 'I love my friends, I love my classmates, watch my puppet show I'll prove it to you all'... What a bunch of bullshit. I can only trust myself. And... I have goals and dreams just like all of you."

"Then... Then... What was this for...?"

"...I want a bodyguard." She smiles simply. 

The room is stunned.

"...A bodyguard?"

"Sakurai will keep me safe. He'll be my valiant knight. I'll even teach him how to curtsy. No one else freaked out like him. And he's so strong and big... I think I made a good choice!"

"...!!"

"How about I just hop this thing and kill you right fucking now?!" Daisuke growls.

"Umm..." Monokuma says quickly. "Although it's not a rule, per se... Murdering another student right in front of all of the other students... Well, that would be a quick class trial! But if you want to be executed, I can muster up a hail of arrows for the Super High School Level Archer...?"

"Be a good boy and stay." She says smiling. "Or I'll have Sakurai beat you up. Right, darling?"

"..."

"I asked you a question. Or... More like I gave you a command."

"..." Konoe looks at her, utter fury in his eyes. "...Yes."

"Yes, what?" She's clearly trying to get him to say 'Yes, Ma'am' or something to that effect.

"Can we get back on fucking track, I don't want to see this." Matsunaga scowled darkly. "Leaving aside the loony toon, we're... saying Kogure did this?"

"I don't see how anyone else could. She knew Okui had the weapon. She said it in two different ways." Yuuhi shakes his head. "She knew the wrench wasn't heavy, even though you wouldn't really be able to tell just by looking at it... And she said he had the wrench first. I think that's pretty convincing."

"But he could have put the wrench down and someone else could have picked it up. Maybe Chisato... only saw Ayumu with the wrench before he put it down? Then anyone could have picked it up!" Kaya begins desperately.

"..."

"Chisato, what do you think?"

"I..." Chisato has been very quiet throughout all of this. "I... Well... That's... That's right. I... I saw him with the wrench. And he... maybe he put it down? No... I'm sure he did."

"...Really?" Matsuri smirks. "Is that your claim? Because... I saw you on the second floor."

"What?!"

"Well, you see... I was bored... And I had a bodyguard and then I was extra bored, you know?"

"Uh, no. No one understands that." Jinichi glares.

"I was on the second floor after having cleaned up, and changed clothes, because a certain someone bled all over me like a preteen girl... But I was going down a hall, and I see our darling Carpenter covered in blood... Just... drenched... My, what a sight. Crying her eyes out."

"...Why didn't you say anything?" Shoko glowers at her. "You sound like you're making this up!"

"It sounds like luck doesn't it? Why, if someone had seen me on the second floor in Konoe's blood... I might really be a suspect."

"..."

"I already knew who the culprit was. It... would've been boring if I just pointed it out immediately, right?" She then looks over to Kaya. "In fact, you saw her too."

She had... seen Chisato? Sure, she was crying but... She hadn't seen her covered in blood...? Had she? Was... there blood? She had only seen her for the briefest of seconds and then...

"...I..."

"You would have gone after her. You would have seen her covered in blood and trying to wash it off. You would have seen everything... That's why I threw my voice and led you away."

"You...!"

"Oh, don't worry. I saw our favorite Linguist on the same floor earlier... I thought he'd find you in time. I just wanted you out of the way for a little while. That's all. I wouldn't have fridged you, you're too much of a fun character! I just needed you to go away and let the magic happen!"

"..."

Kaya can't believe what she's hearing.

"I thought it was something like that." Yuuhi nods. "I thought I heard Nishikado screaming. But the freezer... I didn't hear anything when you were in there. Was that also you, Souma?"

"I have a truly frightening ability, I know. But I don't want to murder anyone just yet. I swear. I may be an aspiring serial killer but... I absolutely can't get caught now... you know?"

"...Aspiring serial killer?" Ran's face drops.

"Mm... I'd like to be like my idols... Killer Killer... Genocider Syo... I'd like to live up to their lofty standards. Maybe call myself Mockingbird... Lure them away like an angler fish... Chomp chomp... The victim was lured away and then fell into a trap... Who could this dashing villain be...? Maybe I'll call the families of the victim with their loved one's voice...? No that might be too brazen. Trapping victims is my specialty."

"Mockingbird? More like Cuckoo." Matsunaga snarls.

"Ayumu got killed at 11:45. But he got discovered around the same time Sakurai was hit, around 12 midnight." Shoko says quietly. "I remember thinking Sakurai must've been killed but..."

"The truth is that two culprits were working at around the same time." Yuuhi says. "Even I'm not sure who was hit first, or how long Sakurai was unconscious. But the distance between them on the floors makes it unlikely it would have been the same person. That was what I meant by the error in time."

"Then... Kogure attacked Okui on the first floor." Shirahase closes her eyes trying to imagine it. "And Souma, completely unrelated, attacked Sakurai on the third floor, but he lived. Souma cleaned herself up more quickly and changed her clothes... She might've disguised her own time on purpose, she may have been able to clear the floors more quickly than we thought..."

"That's why there was still laundry in some of the machines!" Daisuke groans. "God, I fucking saw it and didn't even question it. It was the clothing used by the killer and the... psycho bitch."

"And to distract Nishikado, she lured her into the freezer and away from Kogure." Matsunaga nods. "And locked her in. But what puzzles me is why she'd call for Rivera to help."

"My guess is that Souma never planned to commit any murders." Yuuhi shrugs. "Although it's difficult to imagine how a killer's mind works, she's still just a wannabe."

"That was unkind~"

"If she had killed Konoe, I doubt that maniac would've cared." Daisuke groans.

"...If anything, killing me would have just made it easier for her. She had seen Kogure in blood, and could probably find a way to connect her to Okui's death." Konoe feels nauseous thinking about it. "And without me saying that I heard Daisuke's voice, it would have just appeared that I was randomly murdered by Kogure. It would've been weird, and it would've left some holes with Nishikado hearing Utsumi's voice but..."

"But she could have simply confessed to locking Kaya in the freezer and nothing else." Shoko says crossing her arms. "She might've been able to get Chisato blamed for both deaths."

"Aw, guys. You're so nice. You really think I could have done that? You're flattering me. I'm blushing... Well, aren't you lucky I didn't kill you, Konoe?"

"..."

"Not that I would have, at least, not on purpose. I'd rather kill someone who's my type. And... Konoe's definitely not that. But I don't think I'm his type either." She laughs and Konoe turns blue.

"Yeah, I don't date psychos who give me massive head trauma."

"Anyways... I just wanted to see how far Chisato would take it. Not very far, apparently. Try harder next time, sweetie. You can do it!"

"...You're... You're insane!" Chisato yells at her. "You're a liar! I didn't kill anyone! I wouldn't!"

"Well, see, here's how I see it... The first floor is clear. The third floor is mostly clear. I didn't do it, Matsunaga's got an alibi. Same with Shoko, Yuuhi and Kaya too... Daisuke went up to help Konoe, and I hit him before you killed Ayumu. So that leaves... Oboro, Ran, Jinichi, and you."

"...!"

"And you're the only one who was seen crying, right? And I saw you with blood. And I've got no reason to lie about that, because it's clear I'm not a killer here... so if I don't bust you, I take a long walk off a short pier with everyone else. Unless we can find any strong evidence against the other three... Really, if you've got better accusations against anyone, we'd like to hear them, Miss Killer."

"...Chisato... Did you... Did you really kill him...?" Kaya can only stare.

"..."

"Or even just explain how you got so bloody. Or how you knew about the wrench. You were either there at the scene of the crime or someone else told you, but who would that have been and why...? I think we just open it all up to contradictions if we don't think it's you. Too bad, so sad. Sorry, not sorry." Matsuri laughs again.

"Chisato, you can tell me. It..."

"He... He... He...." She begins to cry. "He asked me to help him. He said... He said... He wanted to get out... He'd... found a way but he needed... a Carpenter's help... I... I... He said you were coming too, Kaya... At... The special spot... But... Was that a lie...?"

Kaya's mind reels back. That's... That's what that meant?

"...He attacked you." Yuuhi says quietly, as if he needed to say it.

~ ~ ~

_"Ayumu, what do you need my help with?"_

_"Just come here!"_

_"I can't drill through solid metal plates. We don't even have any tools... What do you think we can do with a wrench? You can't even reach the bolts!"_

_"..."_

_"...I'm sorry, was that... too mean?"_

_"I need to get out of here."_

_"...Yeah, I know."_

_"No. You don't. I'm... I'm dying."_

_"I'm sorry about that. Are... Are you in pain?"_

_"I need to get out of here, Chisato. I'm sorry."_

_"Sorry? About what?"_

_"They don't know I'm here... They... If I die here... They'll never figure it out... I... don't want to die away from home. I... You know what I mean, right?"_

_"...W-Well, yeah... But, how can I help? I can't... I mean, Kaya has better ideas than me. I'm sure... I'm... What... What are you doing?!"_

_"Just... Just hold still! I'll make this as painless as I can!!"_

_"Wh-?! What are you doing?! ...No... Stay away from me!"_

 _"They're... They're gonna kill me! Someone... Someone'll kill me! I... I... I... I don't want to die... and... I don't want to die first! They'll kill me because I told everyone! And I'm going to be everyone's victim!! It's... It's kill or be killed! And I'm the wounded animal the predators pick off first! I can't... I can't die here!!"_

~ ~ ~ 

"...No one heard me... I think..." Chisato is quiet now. "I... I thought I was going to die. But..."

"..." Kaya is crying now, unable to understand what just happened.

Ayumu was dying. But... He still wanted to live. 

He... wasn't okay with dying at all. Of course he wasn't. 

Who would be?

"But... Why ask Chisato...?" Ran asks.

"...Because she would trust him." Yuuhi says plainly. "Okui had two friends who trusted him completely. It could have been either of them."

"But he chose Kogure... Because Nishikado wouldn't have gone down without a fight." Matsunaga shudders. "That dude was... fucking crazy..."

"But it seems he was wrong in the end." Oboro says quietly. "His plan to kill the weaker friend backfired."

"I didn't have a choice! He was going... He would have... I was protecting all of you!"

"Oh? How noble." Matsuri mockingly bows.

"I'm serious! It was only... He wanted to get out so bad, he would've tried to kill anyone again! We couldn't trust him!"

"...You should have told us." Yoshiki says, still stunned. "We... We could have just tied him up. Or..."

"That wouldn't have worked! You didn't see how crazy he was... He... He wanted me dead... He wanted to escape!"

"He wouldn't have been able to kill anyone, though." Oboro shakes her head. "Had you come and told us, we would have known to look out for him. If he did kill, if anyone had killed, he would have always been the primary suspect. The truth is... you panicked."

"...I... panicked...? I... I... I panicked?! Me?! I... I have been starved, and put through hell on earth with you people - you bunch of assholes and fucking liars and psychos! - and I'm the one who panicked?! How dare you!" Chisato clutches her ponytails angrily. "You think I don't want to go home either?! But I wasn't the one trying to kill off my friends!"

"Except you did."

"Fuck yes I did! Because...! Because... Because because.... Because... It's... kill or be killed. And... I don't want to be killed. I don't want to die... Why... should I have to die because he wanted to live? Fuck that! F-Fuck him! He attacked me and you're here telling me I shouldn't have fought back?!"

"Of course you fight back!" Yoshiki stares at her, disgusted. "But you didn't have to kill anyone!"

"...You don't get it. Because it wasn't you. You... You don't understand what it's like to fight for your life. You don't know what it's like to feel that unsafe! You survived an explosion but you don't have to worry about an explosion coming after you again! Just... Just because I'm... weaker than her..."

"Chisato... Please, that's enough..." Kaya says quietly.

"It should have been you. You... should have been attacked... Not me..."

"Wh...?!"

"You're nothing but a two-faced bitch who hates everyone... So why?! Tell me why I have to defend myself and be... executed because... Because... It should have been you! You're the one no one else would miss! You're nasty! You're mean to everyone for no reason! Your family hates you, and you hate them! You have no friends, no life, no chance of doing anything! But... But I do! I... I have things to live for! It should have been you!"

"..."

Kill or be killed.

It should have been her.

The words echo in her head maliciously. Chisato... They were friends. And one friend killed the other... And now she'd lose them both. And... It should have been her...?

It's not her fault... Kaya says. It's a bad situation... It's... not fair... None of this is fair.

No one dares to speak.

"...I suppose we just won't agree on this." Yuuhi speaks at last. "Simply, you killed Okui Ayumu."

"I'm telling you I had no choice!"

"...That didn't stop you from trying to misdirect us, did it?" His words cut her deeply. "You may not have planned to kill him, but you were fine with getting out and sacrificing us all to do it. Isn't that true? I'm not saying I blame you, or your thinking. But that was your plan. You could have told us at any time but you sat here in the trial letting us believe it was this person or that person..."

"..." Chisato stares down at the ground, unable to speak. "I... I don't want to die... I want to... I want to go home... they're... They're all waiting for me!"

"You killed in self-defense. But had we all been executed after choosing someone else... That was something you could live with. Isn't that so?"

"...Shut up... You... You don't know anything..."

"...Chisato." Yoshiki looks to her pleadingly. "Please... Help me understand."

"...You're all my friends but..." Chisato says quietly. She may have even loved Yoshiki but... "...But I need to get out of here... I have people waiting for me... My family... I have... I have a pet cat... who sleeps on my bed. I... I have siblings... And... And a future... So... I can't die here... I can't, I can't, I can't! Why didn't you come and protect me?! Why did no one come when I was screaming for help?!"

"...!"

"I... I was all alone... You left me all alone! Do you all... hate me that much?! Why didn't you save me?!"

"...We... We didn't hear you..." Yoshiki feels his heart tighten. "I... I swear we didn't...!"

"In the end... I was all alone... And you... You all left me to die. Just like you're doing now...!"

"No, Chisato, we're...!"

"That's enough." Yuuhi looks over to Yoshiki sympathetically, shaking his head. "...You don't want this to go on. It will be painful."

"..."

"Okay! It sounds like we're ready for the voting process! Who will the blackened be in this case...?! I can't wait, I can't wait!"

...

The voting was over rather quickly. Kaya picked her choice... And did it without thought. Too numb to think, too sad to feel anything else. Just an empty void.

...

"Well, well... Unforuntately... You're all completely right! Today's blackened is... Kogure Chisato! Me oh my what a... tedious crime. You guys kind of bored me with all the floor talk, but it's fine you'll do better next time! Maybe I should start locking some of these floors down. Open them up when there's less of you. Easier for scene shifts and all that~ It's a good note for the future!"

"..." Kaya stares ahead blankly. Chisato won't look at her.

"...Then Chisato... did kill Ayumu..." Ran says quietly.

"Of course! But you should be more confident, Ijishima Ran! You did vote for her~"

"...That's...!"

"What? You don't have faith in your choices? Were you just following what everyone else was doing? If everyone were jumping off a bridge would you plummet to your death too? That's a sad way to live, but you'd sure make a splash dying!"

Monokuma cackles at her and Ran begins to cry.

They all step off the weird dais with the sixteen chairs. It occurs to Kaya that there were two seats empty... And now... a third...

Zenji... Ayumu... And now Chisato.

They were dying.

"You'll be alright." Shoko says placing her hand on Kaya's shoulder. "I know it hurts."

"..." Kaya wants to yell. She wants to slap her. She wants to... but... all she can do is start to cry. "Chisato..."

Chisato turns to her. She's never seen Kaya this upset... Least of all for... her. Was... Was she wrong? Did... Did Kaya not hate her...? Was that all...?

"I see no point in delaying the inevitable. It's a little short notice but I think I can whip something up. And to think you guys didn't even really use my motive but... it'll be fun to see how things go the way they are now, so it's fine!"

"W-Wait... You don't have to do this!" Yoshiki's voice is trembling. "Just... It was self-defense! It..."

"What, what? You voted her guilty of murder Mister Secretary! Stand behind your vote!"

"But it was self-defense!"

"Mm... But as Mr. Rivera said, she also is guilty of thirteen counts of attempted murder, right? Plus the actual murder of Okui Ayumu. Such a heinous monster... I can't let one like that live! Not for hope's sake, right, Yuuhi Rivera...?"

"...What you do is your choice." Yuuhi reacts coldly. "Don't make it sound like it's our fault. Take responsibility for yourself."

"Mmm he's just so Japanese you can't even tell he's half!" Monokuma laughs. "In that case, I think I was just given permission~"

"No! Please don't! Please wait! I'm begging you!"

"Now then, let's give it everything we've got... It's Punishment Time!"

"No, no, no!!"

~ ~ ~

Chisato stands dumbfounded, left to contemplate what's about to happen but she doesn't notice the wire or chain, or whatever it is that wraps around her until it's too late.

All at once, she's dragged with a surprised scream through an opening in one of the curtains and is pulled through with it.

Kaya stands there, dumbfounded with everyone else until the monitor blinks on giving them a good view of what's about to happen.

A strange little title appears:

GAME OVER

KOGURE CHISATO HAS FAILED THE FINAL! 

BEGINNING PUNISHMENT...

**  
THE FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN  
BURIAL AT SEA**

...

Nothing said like that could ever be a good thing.

They watch in abject horror as Chisato appears in some kind of dark room. And all at once, she's mobbed and... is tied and wrapped up by the weird Monokuma men, tied up like a mummy. Still squirming, the shape of Chisato is loaded into a wooden box and... 

Oh, no that's a coffin.

Kaya immediately looks away, breaking into harsh sobs. Konoe and Shirahase rush to her.

Yoshiki has begun to cry too... silently watching until Daisuke forcibly pulls him away so he can't wath what's about to happen.

As Kaya begins to wail, the others either watch horrified and transfixed, or turn away. 

Only Matsuri seems bored with it already. Chisato wasn't very interesting after all...

The coffin is nailed shut but... they put holes in the top of the coffin's lid...?

Yuuhi stares aghast. What are they...?

...

When he sees the water, he knows he needs to... not watch... to turn away. So much water... It... He can't. He turns a greenish color before he looks away. Yuuhi is shaking and covering his eyes. It's... too much water.

There's some large body of water, maybe it's the swimming pool or there's... some lake...? It couldn't be the ocean... could it? Surely... Surely not...

With a mighty heave, the coffin splashes into the water. Water enters the holes. The coffin fills up with water. And it sinks.

Tsubaki shrieks, too terrified to look away, and Ran goes to help, shaking and crying.

Most of them don't look at the video of bubbles coming up to the surface... bubbles which slowly stop rising.

The surface of the water... And no more bubbles.

Just smooth, placid water... endless darkness below.

And then the monitor blinks out.

~ ~ ~ 

"...Is... Is it over...?" Shirahase asks looking up. The school crest is playing now, not the execution they'd just done their best to ignore.

Shirahase looks unnerved but not ill.

Matsunaga grits his teeth while Shoko is shocked into silence.

Jinichi, wailing, hits one of the wooden things on the dais so hard his hand starts to bleed.

There's nothing. No one says anything.

No one can.

Only the sound of confusion and crying.

"...We... We... should go." Konoe says quietly before Matsuri waltzes over to him casually.

"Hey, Konoe. Would you like to escort me?"

Her smarmy happy attitude is so out of place.

"..."

"You're really fucking serious about this?!" Daisuke glares at her, leaving Yoshiki there to mourn while he tries to get a handle on this situation.

"Of course I am. I need a bodyguard. I mean... If you want to show me your secret I'll take you instead." She smiles. "Come on, big man... What's a secret among two friends?"

"You and I will never be friends!"

"...Konoe. I think Daisuke needs to be taught a lesson."

"..."

"I won't tell you twice."

Konoe looks to Daisuke apologetically... and slugs him in the jaw which sends his whole world spinning. Shoko gasps and moves immediately to help, afraid he's bleeding.

"That's enough!" 

Shirahase's voice has never been this loud as she stands from Kaya. Abruptly she moves past Konoe so fast he can't even comprehend what he's seeing.

Shirahase in all her strength, slams Matsuri hard against a wall by one hand. The other...

What looks like a patdown gets very rough as she pulls out... Ginka?

It's Matsuri's prized puppet.

"No! Give it back! Konoe, help!! Give...!!"

There's something there.

Something just under the surface in Shirahase's eyes. When Konoe moves forward to help Matsuri, against his better judgement, she turns to face him.

He's so stunned by her eyes, he doesn't dare move.

There's... something dark inside Shirahase. Something... abnormal and dangerous.

Or rather... There's nothing there. A soulless dangerous look. One that says he'll never win. No matter what he does.

"Stand down, Sakurai. You're injured. It wouldn't be fair."

"I... Uh..." Konoe flounders at her words.

He's being stared down by a predator... And she'll win.

An empty void... A... Predatory instinct. Utsumi Shirahase...

What kind of person is this?!

"Souma. You deliberately led us astray. Moreover, I cannot abide your actions here. You did something very monstrous. And while I hope that Sakurai figures out how to resist you... I cannot let this stand."

"Wh-?! Let me go, you freak!"

"Freak...? Coming from you..." The dangerous look turns menacing. "You don't know what I'm capable of. But you'll find out if you aren't careful. Now then... Since you gained a new puppet... It isn't fair you get to have two. I'm taking away your toy."

With a previously unseen ferocity, Shirahase takes the puppet by the arm and slams it hard against the wall. Wood splinters and cracks and Matsuri shrieks as she does it again and again until Ginka has exploded into wooden splinters. 

Ginka's little puppet head is in four pieces.

"Ginka!! You...!!"

"I have had enough of you. This is not the way that friends act."

She drops her. And Matsuri crumples to the ground.

"Who the fuck says we're friends?!" Matsuri's eyes fill with tears as she stares at Ginka, mangled by the Amazon.

"You don't like it when people play with your things without asking. Maybe you'll learn from this, maybe you won't. However, there's one more thing I need you to understand."

"What?!" 

Matsuri cries over Ginka, trying to get some of the pieces back together but everything is bent and broken and nothing lays right.

"The only reason I'm letting you live is because we have cameras on us. Were it any other way, you'd be dead. And that's my promise to you." She says before picking Matsuri up like a bag of feathers. "I can't force Sakurai to admit his secret. That is not my place. But if you try your blackmail game with Sakurai, you'd better not have him helping you commit a murder. The moment you use him as a pawn in your game... I will kill you myself."

"Th-Then you'll die too!"

"Then I die happily keeping you a wannabe loser, Souma... Matsuri." Shirahase's voice is positively glacial. "Play your games, try to survive, do whatever you think you should... But when you involve someone else, know that I'll be there. And I'll take you down. Do we understand each other?"

"...Yes."

Shirahase drops her and even the other girls are terrified as she stoops down to help Kaya.

"Let's get out of here. This place... isn't good for you."

Kaya stares at her, dumbstruck. Shirahase is... There's nothing inside, is there? It's... It's different from Matsuri, who hides madness behind her eyes.

Shirahase... has nothing there. Simply a kind smile, and predatory eyes that she'd never noticed before.

Kaya is equal parts impressed and terrified but Shirahase helps her up and smiles... And just like that, Shirahase's mask is back up. A charming, demure mask... that hides something... unusual.

"...I'm... I'm sorry." Konoe says as he moves to help Daisuke.

But Daisuke slaps his hand away.

"Fuck your apology! And fuck you too! I'm... I tried! I really did and you... What the fuck is so bad that you can't tell me?!"

"Are you really in a position to judge me..." Konoe's voice loses all emotion. He looks down his nose at Daisuke. "You who lied about your secret. I was wrong. You know exactly how I feel, don't you. That's why you didn't say anything. But you want to take the high road...?"

"..."

"Now's the time then. Tell everyone _your_ secret, Daisuke. What is it you do or have done that you wouldn't want anyone else to know...? We're all waiting. Take the high road. See how far you get."

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Ran is bawling so hard snot has come out of her nose. "You two... You're friends... We can't... I can't...! Just... Please, stop! I need it all to stop! Please..."

"..."

"Rivera..." Matsunaga places his hand on Yuuhi's back. "Are you alright?"

"...Too much water." He mumbles. "Is it... over?"

"Yeah. All over. It..." Matsunaga doesn't know what to say.

"We need to stop fighting." Jinichi looks to them all seriously. "We lost two of our friends today. I don't want anything else happening. Let's go to bed. Now."

There's a mirthless, rageless timbre in his voice. It's something Jinichi doesn't normally have.

"..."

"I need to... get out of here." Kaya says quietly. "...I can't be here... not anymore..."

"Let's... do what Hirano says." Yuuhi says, gently but shaken. "We need to rest. Or... No. Rest. I think."

"Then we'll leave." Shirahase says as she helps Kaya along. The girls, minus Matsuri, follow after. Matsuri stays for a little while, crying openly over Ginka who she can't put back together.

Yoshiki and Jinichi go after them. And Matsunaga follows. There's a tense exchange of silence before Konoe breaks off and goes, leaving Daisuke to bring up the rear. ... The elevator ascends. Only sniffles and silence.

~ ~ ~

_How... did it end up like this...?_

_In just one day... I lost my two best friends._

_And everyone... really hated each other. I..._

_I don't know how else to say it. I was..._

_It was Despair._

_And the way we were... this would all happen again. Soon._

_All I could think about was... the words Chisato said to me. And... And..._

_I'm sorry. Can we take a break? I need to... I can't... Please, let's just... Yeah. Thanks. I just need a few minutes I think. I'm sorry._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Living: 13  
> Dead: 3
> 
> \- - - 
> 
> (I like to imagine my characters spinning when they debate things is that just me...? I can see it so well in my mind...) 


	12. Shark in the Water

_For a while... I was just... out of it._

_If someone had wanted to kill me, I probably would have made an easy target. But..._

_Well, obviously I lived. I mean..._

_But everyone else...? It was obvious that Ayumu and Chisato's deaths had a big impact on them. And with everything else that had gone on..._

_It sort of felt like we were meeting for the first time. As our truest selves... And... it wasn't pretty._

~ ~ ~

Today's restricted section(s) - The first floor!

Kaya sits at a small table by herself in the banquet hall. The majority of the others sit at a different table. Kaya wants nothing to do with anyone, and they're reluctant to push the issue.

"...Kaya's... not doing well... is she." Ran says, somber. She hadn't gotten much sleep. 

Their trial and investigation had gone on into the early morning. But now it was mid-morning. Almost everyone looked exhausted.

"Of course not." Shoko wanted to be angrier, but she was just so drained. "How could she be? ...Ayumu and Chisato were her best friends. Now she's... alone."

"Not to mention, Chisato pretty much blamed her on her deathbed. Er... Final moments...?" Tsubaki reconsiders the words.

"She isn't alone." Yuuhi says, looking possibly worse than everyone else. There are dark circles under his eyes. "And if you're worried she is alone, then you should make an effort to spend more time with her."

"...I don't think she wants to talk to any of us." Yoshiki rubs his eyes. Chisato's death... had hit him hard. "I don't know of anyone who could snap her out of this."

"Then leave her be." Shirahase says simply. "If she doesn't want to talk, leave her be. But don't avoid her. And don't put her under a magnifying glass either. Right now, she needs friends who will be by her side. No matter what."

The group of them turn to Shirahase.

They... were frankly all terrified of her now. After what had happened with Matsuri... They'd all seen some inner darkness in her. And, honestly, Shirahase hadn't fully put on her mask again.

It was as if there were dark tendrils and shadowy energy surrounding her in an aura. An aura of... ferocity. And even if the words were nice, the eyes... Shirahase's eyes... Might as well have been dark empty pits to them.

Konoe, however, sits right next to her. He's got his rugby gear back on. The bandages on his head are recently changed and he looks less like... a mummy... like... Chisato... Maybe that's why Shoko had put on less bandages.

"...He hates me... He really hates me now..." He's been muttering to himself.

"...Well, you did smack him twice now. Although this time was..." Tsubaki's voice jitters. "...Maybe not really your fault."

"To think that's the way Matsuri is. Truly frightening." Oboro states calmly with a smile, sipping tea elegantly. She looks very well-rested. "And she exploited your weakness so masterfully."

"...I know."

"Daisuke'll come around. Maybe." Tsubaki had meant it to be encouraging, but it wasn't.

"Is your secret... really so bad?" Yoshiki looks to him. "...That you'd... be that weirdo's bodyguard...?"

"...Yes. It is that bad." He can't look at them.

Shirahase pats him on the back. He nearly jolts, it's such a negative aura.

"I wish you'd talk to us about it. If you told us, she'd have no power over you." Ran says, gently and with great kindness. "We are here for you."

"Or, at least, we wouldn't use you like a puppet." Oboro smiles. "When you find a backbone, we're here for you. I'll try not to laugh if your secret is so embarrassing..."

"...Today's forecast calls for cold and mean, apparently." Tsubaki gives a half-hearted chuckle.

"It's not funny. It's... It's my life." Konoe mumbles. "And if you think it's so funny, why doesn't everyone else who hasn't told everyone their secrets go ahead and reveal them?"

At this, the group seems to go back to being dour.

"That's..." Yoshiki laughs weakly. "...Sorry."

"...What great bravery." Konoe says bitterly.

"By the way, where is Matsuri?" Shoko looks around. "...And we're missing the guys...?"

"Hirano, Matsunaga, and Tatsuma are working the kitchen today." Yuuhi answers simply. "...I don't know about Souma."

"...Oh! That's why you're sitting next to Shirahase!" Ran says clapping excitedly. Konoe flinches. It's... another right answer.

"W-Well... She's..." Konoe looks to Shirahase. Those eyes kill his soul, just slightly. "...Kind of like a ward."

"...A ward?" Shoko raises an eyebrow.

"Like a good luck charm, or a talisman. A ward to keep away evil spirits." Ran nods.

"...In this case..." Yoshiki laughs nervously. "It's... It's kind of like using fox urine to keep away pests."

"...I'm fox urine?" Shirahase levels a look at him. "I've never been called a fox..."

"I'm sorry! It was a... a bad analogy! Like... Like using a demon to scare away a ghost!"

"...Holy shit, dude." Shoko pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Mm... But I see it." Tsubaki nods enthusiastically. "Like a big cat will mark their territory and then push out competition... Anything that wants to muscle in... It's a showdown!"

"...Now I'm a big cat?" Shirahase looks away. "All I did was do what everyone else was thinking."

"She's not wrong." Yoshiki says with a cold smile.

"It wasn't breaking her puppet that was the issue." Yuuhi gives Shirahase a stern look. "In fact, I approve. I even applaud it. It was the death threat that was the issue."

"...Mm. Yes. I can see how that might trouble you." Shirahase nods. "But... If I have to kill Matsuri... I'll freely admit my guilt. No worries there."

"That is not the issue, Utsumi!" Yuuhi stands suddenly and slams his hand on the table. At once, Yoshiki begins to shake and rock back and forth. "O-Oh... I'm... I'm sorry, Tachibana. I didn't mean to... to startle you."

"Yuuhi, you need some sleep." Ran says to him as Shoko and Tsubaki move to try and calm Yoshiki.

"...I couldn't."

"You're dead on your feet."

"Would you like something to sleep?" Oboro offers gently. "I have some sleeping pills."

"What?! Since when?" Shoko stares hard at her.

"...There's allergy medicine in the school store. Warning: Side effects include drowsiness..." She says quietly. "I figured that it would be hard to sleep with all the stress so..."

"There's something that dangerous in the school store?!" Shoko grimaces.

"It isn't like they're giving out hard drugs." Oboro laughs. "Pain medication, bandages, allergy medication... There were also dietary supplements, protein powder, calcium, zinc, vitamins..."

"Isn't that more like a pharmacy than a school store...?"

"I assumed some students simply had unique dietary concerns. Don't athletes need things like this?" Oboro shrugs. "In any case, I'll give you some allergy medicine if you like. We can do it in front of the Veterinarian if she insists."

"I absolutely insist! There's... There's no way you can go around sharing medication like that! That's so dangerous. And especially here..."

Especially here...?

Shoko didn't want to put it into words, afraid it might become an issue... or a conscious decision later.

But if someone were given sleeping pills and knocked out... well, that could be bad for lots of reasons. Not to mention things like poisonings and overdoses. The whole thing made her shudder.

"Alright then. I'll get it from... Oh..." She makes a face. "They're on the first floor. I'll have to wait until tomorrow then..."

After the trial, and after they'd woken up... Monokuma had decided he would start locking down more places. It must have been because of the way the first trial was so strange with the different floors. And by limiting their space, it forced them into contact with each other.

The first floor was currently restricted.

"Then..." Yuuhi ponders and looks to Shoko. "Would you be willing to come to the store with me? I... I do need... sleep."

"Huh? W-Well... I mean..." Shoko doesn't like the idea, but... Given the circumstances... And given that she did volunteer... "...I guess it's fine. This time. Don't make it a habit, though, please. It's not good for your body if you use sleeping pills too often."

"For God's sake, Shoko..." Tsubaki makes a face. "He wants a nap after the literal night from hell, he's not becoming a pill popper."

"I know that! I do... But..." Shoko continues to frown. "I know you're not the type to abuse it. But... I'm definitely keeping a tight rein on all the medication."

"That's for the best, I think." Yoshiki nods.

"Could I... get something for my headache...?" Konoe asks, somber again.

"Yeah, of course!"

"She caved quickly with that one. Shoko's losing her morals." Oboro teases.

"He has a gaping head wound, you fake weather balloon!"

"..." Oboro actually looks offended by that.

~ ~ ~

In the kitchen, Jinichi mops the floor. Breakfast... Or... More accurately, something like an early lunch... had gone off without a hitch. Most days he would make bread, and some kind of other food that was substantial. There were people who came and went to make tea or coffee... And some of them cooked their own meals, which was fine by him.

The entire trial had been his own kind of nightmare. He hadn't understood much, if anything, until it was all over.

He was kicking himself for his lack of analytical skills. He could do math, and he could take notes, and he was good at science and history... but... Somehow logic and common sense had never been his forte.

At least cleaning gave him something to do.

Matsunaga and Daisuke stand by one of the burners on the stove next to a sink.

"...You think this is a good idea?" Matsunaga asks, quirking a brow.

"I don't know. I just... I don't want anyone's secret used against them. Like..."

"Yes. I understand your frustration. Sakurai is..." Matsunaga, like pretty much everyone else, had at least a few guesses what Sakurai was hiding. "...It doesn't matter. I know what you mean."

"Then, do you want me to do yours too?"

"..." There's a long pause. "...I can do my own."

"Dude, I know how to light paper on fire. Just give me your thing and then we never have to see it again."

"...As you say."

Matsunaga pulls out his envelope with his secret. Matsunaga Sorata, it reads.

Without looking at it, Daisuke takes his own envelope in his hand... Tatsuma Daisuke, it reads.

He holds the two envelopes over the burner, and turns it on. The flame sprouts up in a blossom of orange and blue. Immediately, the envelopes catch fire.

Daisuke immediately drops them into the sink to let them burn off safely.

"Is something burning...?" Jinichi says, smelling smoke. "What are you two doing?!"

"Something we should have done from the start."

"What, burn the Student Center down?! The fuck is wrong with you two?!"

"We're getting rid of our secrets." Daisuke says bluntly and with frustration. "Come on, don't you want to get rid of yours too? You didn't share yours either."

"That..." Jinichi flinches. "...That is true. But..."

"But what?! It's easy just let it catch fire, and drop it in the sink. Wash away the ashes. Ta da, no more worries."

"...It isn't that easy. You can't erase your past or your secrets." He states simply but it sounds like a grand statement. "And... And I do want to tell people my secret. Some day. I don't want to hide from it."

"We are not hiding." Matsunaga feels anger rise up in him. "We're keeping it from being used against us like Sakurai! Or do you want to be Souma's slave too?"

The words hit Daisuke harder than they do Jinichi.

"...You do what you think is right. I'll do what I think is right." Jinichi crosses his arms. "And I'm not afraid of the little psycho. She can play whatever game she wants. If worst comes to worst, I'll reveal my secret. I'm no coward."

"Hey." Daisuke says dangerously. "Watch your mouth."

"Really? What do you call it then? Sakurai gets ambushed by her, and lets himself get blackmailed into being her butler? Are you forgetting that he's hit you twice to keep his secret from getting out? What happens if she orders him to hit you again?"

"That's..."

"Wake the fuck up, man. Sakurai is not your friend right now. He's an enemy pawn. You can't trust him. And you can't sympathize with a coward like that."

"That's very easy for you to say." Matsunaga scowls darkly at him. "But you don't know what Sakurai's secret is. If it were yours, I wonder how hollow your words would ring now. Just because you have a secret that you're willing to share is no reason to look down on people who would rather die than let people know."

"Like I said. You can't sympathize with a coward."

"This is why you're not the class representative." Matsunaga practically spits venom when he says it. "You don't know how to deal with people. You've got brains but no one wants you in charge because you're a self-righteous asshole. One of your friends is in pain - real pain - and all you can think of doing is throwing blame on him. You're unbelievable."

The words ring true. And Jinichi hates to admit it. Even as he turns blue with anger.

"H-Hey... We..." Daisuke sighs. "I don't want to fight. I really... I don't. Can we just call a truce?"

"...Truce." Matsunaga says, retreating from the battle.

"Yeah. Fuck it. Whatever. You're all assholes anyway." Jinichi turns away.

"Jinichi... You... You need to start trusting people. We're... We're all we have right now. There are... thirteen of us. We shouldn't be tearing each other apart because of what happened... Zenji... Ayumu and Chisato... We can't add to that number."

"..." Jinichi turns back to them. "Apologize."

"...?"

"Apologize for what you said to me." He glares hard at Matsunaga.

"..." Matsunaga scoffs and turns away. "Fine. I'm sorry. I hurt your feelings and said things that were out of line. I'm very upset right now. And it wasn't fair."

His tone isn't apologetic, but the words are.

"...Then.. Could you burn these?"

Jinichi pulls the envelopes from his school jacket.

They were Oboro's, Ayumu's, Kaya's, Yuuhi's, and Ran's. Their secrets.

"Fuck, dude. You still have those?!" 

"What do you mean 'still'?! The trial wasn't that long ago! And... And... It didn't... feel right to give them back to people. They discarded them. I just... Don't want to throw them away like they're nothing."

"..."

"...And I can't give Ayumu's secret back to him. It felt too... disrespectful to just toss it like garbage."

"Alright. Give 'em here. I'll burn them."

One by one, he sets the envelopes aflame with the burner. Oboro's. Yuuhi's. Ran's. Kaya's...

"Rest in peace, Okui." Matsunaga says with a small prayer. 

And Ayumu's secret goes up in flames in the sink. They wash the ashes away.

~ ~ ~

Konoe comes back from the school store after having taken some painkillers. It's really just over the counter headache medicine, but he'll take anything to get rid of the pounding in his head.

With any luck, he'd heal fast. He didn't like the feeling of the gash through the bandages. Or the lump that was surely there.

"Sakurai."

Shirahase catches him at the entrance to the hallway from the store. She'd been waiting.

"...What's the matter, Utsumi?"

That empty void aura was still there. In fact, it had... gotten stronger. There wasn't even the faintest hint of Shirahase's mask. Just... Coldness.

"You and I need to have a discussion."

"...If you're going to hit me, just don't hit me in the head, please."

She smirks. And... That's scary all by itself.

"Nothing so violent. I hope. Come with me."

Konoe follows her and then she... walks into the boys bathroom. Without a hint of dread or fear or scandal, she just waltzes in like that's normal.

Konoe follows after her but... He sort of dreads the kind of person Shirahase has turned out to be.

"...You can't be in here." He says with a weak laugh.

"...You have nothing I haven't seen before."

Comforting.

"Why here?"

"There are no cameras in the bathrooms. And Matsuri won't think to come in here. She has more... inhibitions than I do."

"...So that's the kind of person you really are. All this time, I never knew. You... You don't feel things the way we do... do you?"

"That's a bit unkind. I feel fear. I feel pain. I feel anger. Sadness... But I process them differently, I suppose. The Shirahase you knew is a side of me, I suppose. It's who I'd like to be."

"...Who... you'd like to be?"

"Nice." She says with a more human smile. It's convincing, that's for sure. "Because I'm not."

"H-Huh?"

"I like being nice to people. I like that they depend on me. I like that people come to me in a crisis. Maybe I'm nice because I'm actually a narcissist. But I think the answer is more complicated than that..." And then the mask drops again. And the negative aura floods out. "...The real me is cold and unkind. I care about people. Some people. And when they are hurt... I want to make it stop."

"...I'm not going to kill anyone. If that's your question or... issue. No matter what Matsuri says. I won't kill."

"If I had any doubt about that..." The eyes look at him and chill him deeply. "We wouldn't be having this conversation."

"You... You'd kill me...?"

"...Maybe. If I had to. If I thought you were a danger to someone. The truth is, I agree with Chisato. I would have killed Okui too. Someone who has proven themselves to be dangerous... It's different with Matsuri. For all her mayhem, she never intended to kill. Okui... let his weakness drive him to do something monstrous."

"..." Konoe can feel himself tremble. "...You're... You're scaring me. Utsumi."

At once she turns her eyes away from him.

"Sorry. That's why I... Well, that's why I'm nice."

"It... It's okay. You're not going to kill me. I can... I can live with the scary."

"Simply... Okui was a menace. The minute he decided that someone's life was worth less than his, he became a problem that needed to be eliminated. Were it up to me, Chisato would still be alive. Putting down a mad dog... should not be a crime."

"...That's... a little simplistic of a view. It was a complicated thing."

"Was it? Maybe that's where we differ in terms of thinking. And personality. I see a threat, I crush it. No more threat. You would... give them a second chance?"

"...I've done things I'm not proud of. Things I shouldn't have. Everyone is like that. I... Even Ran... You're not killing her, are you?"

"..." She accepts his logic, and pauses. "Ran has remorse. Chisato had remorse, in some ways. I wonder if Okui would have, had he lived and Chisato died... Would he have felt bad for killing her...? Or no...? I cannot say. But Ran is no threat to anyone."

He starts to notice that Shirahase when she's like this has a hard time deciding between whether to address people formally or informally. It must be... in terms of respect...? Or... something to that effect, maybe. Maybe her true self values people less than Shirahase does.

"...You believe that."

"Ran... Ijishima... Was a bully. And bullies, like Matsuri, are cowards. They hurt because it makes them feel better. And Ijishima is unlike Matsuri in that when she took it too far, she mended her ways and became a better person. Perhaps... I envy her."

"You... envy her? Really...?"

"...She changed herself inside and out. I can only act. Why is that hard to understand?"

"Well... Like I said... I'm not going to kill anyone..."

"Your secret. You love him, don't you."

"...!!"

Shirahase states it so bluntly he nearly loses all the air in his lungs.

"Your secret is that you're in love with Daisuke... Tatsuma, I mean. It's something like... **'Even though Sakurai Konoe is dating Tatsuma Daisuke's older sister, he's in love with Tatsuma Daisuke himself'**... or something to that effect?"

Konoe begins to shake. How...?

"...Don't... Don't tell... Please... I'm begging you. Don't tell him... He can't... He... He can't know that about me... He..."

"Calm yourself. I'm not Matsuri. I would never use your secret against you." She says with a smile. And even without her normal mask, the darkness doesn't seem so malignant now. "Your personal life is your own. I don't mind it one bit."

"Then... Why bring it up...?"

"Because you looked like you needed someone to say it for you. And to tell you it was okay."

"..." Konoe flushes, deeply ashamed. He... could tell her the rest of it... "...It's not just that."

"No?"

Sakurai reaches into his pocket and hands her his envelope.

"Go ahead. You... You guessed most of it."

She opens it, and reads it.

**Even though Sakurai Konoe is dating Tatsuma Daisuke's older sister, he's actually in love with Tatsuma Daisuke himself! See: School Daze.**

"...School Daze...?"

"...That's... That's the part I can't let people know. It... It... Even you... I can't... It's..."

"..."

"If it were just that. If it were just that I... that I... liked him. Liked.. men... I could refute that. I could say.. It's not true. And it would just be a rumor, right...? Like... Like bad locker room talk. Or... Guys insulting each other by calling each other the thing they think is the worst thing to be called but... School Daze is... evidence."

"Evidence?"

"...Someone knows my secret. And... They found a way to... prove it. Or... make it... obvious that it's not a lie. Or... Not all a lie."

"...I see."

"If Matsuri finds out what School Daze is... I'll... She'd... She can't though, but... But... How do I know she can't?!"

"Then that's why you're following her orders. You don't know how much she knows."

"Just knowing about it makes it..." Konoe sighs. "Makes her dangerous. If she really does know... She... She could tell everyone. And Daisuke would... He'd really... hate me... He'd hate me for real. And... And it would ruin everything. Forget l-love... It'd... I'd lose... our friendship and... I'd be hurting everyone. What would his sister think if she knew? That I'd been... basically using her? Or..."

"Breathe." She says without a hint of irony. "You're the Super High School Level Yogi. You should have more inner calm than this."

"...How can I be calm when... when everyone's dying and... Matsuri..."

"If it comes to it, I'll kill her. I hope that it doesn't. It would be a useless death."

"..." The face is blank but scary again, Konoe isn't sure how to take that. "Don't say things like that. It's... Even if you do mean it."

"I certainly mean it." She pulls her own envelope out of her pocket and hands it to him. "Here. Read it. You showed me yours. It's only fair."

"...I'm honestly a little scared of what it could be."

"For a normal person like you... I suppose it would be." That smile again...

"Alright..."

****

**Mild-mannered Utsumi Shirahase is actually... The super famous assassin, the Great White Shark!**

...

Konoe reads it.

And reads it twice.

And then drops it and recoils.

"...Does it surprise you?"

"H-Holy fuck... You're... You're a murderer!" He says backing away from her. "O-Oh. I'm... I'm sorry. That was..."

"True. It doesn't hurt me."

"...You... You're... The Great White Shark...? THE Shark?"

"...It's not a name I gave myself. I prefer the Amazon, if I'm being honest."

"You're a hitman for the yakuza!"

"One of them. For the Kuzuryu clan, yes. Though they're really the only game around. However... I only kill people who are a nuisance. People who cannot be trusted. Those who are dangeorus."

The Shark... so-called in yakuza circles was something of an urban legend. Apparently, the Shark was an enforcer and occasional hitman. Someone called in to erase problems. And that was... Utsumi Shirahase...?

"...How... How did you... get to Hope's Peak?"

"Weightlifting of course. I'm no Super High School Level Assassin... if that's what you mean. I really am this strong, you know."

"Why... Why tell me?"

"...Because I believe in hope. More importantly... I believe the person behind all of this is dangerous. I'd very much like to kill them."

"...You're doing the scary eyes again."

"And since we are classmates and friends..." She assumes they're friends, Konoe nods. "...I also want to help as many people get out of here as possible. Including you."

"Then... You mean an alliance?"

"We all have a common enemy in the mastermind pulling the strings here. Even Matsuri is not above the culprit in this Final Exam. I think we could get Nishikado on our side. Rivera. Matsunaga. Ebihara... Tatsuma..."

"Well... Tachibana, Mizuno, and Ijishima... I think they'd go along with it. I have no idea about Tendo. Or Matsuri... She... Well... If you appeal to her desire to survive..."

"That's what I thought. I want to get out of here. And I want you all safe. You're all my treasured friends. And in this case... allies."

"We have the same goal. I don't want to kill people. Especially not any of my friends... Even Matsuri... Sort of."

"That is all I needed to know."

"...Fuck... I'm... I'm friends with the Shark. I... I don't know if I should be happy or scared to death..."

"That's entirely up to you." She says nicely. Her mask is now firmly back in place. She picks up her paper and puts it away. "But I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell others. I want to do it myself, when I feel that the time is right."

"I'm not going to say no to you." He laughs nervously.

"...You really should just tell him. You're not exactly subtle. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's caught you staring at his ass..." She smiles very sweetly. "But Tatsuma is oblivious, so good luck."

At first, all he can do is blush. Because he knows it's probably true. He thought he had been being subtle but... For someone like a hitman... maybe not.

"Yeah, yeah. Try not to murder anyone."

"Only if they get in my way."

She leaves as simply as she came. And the negative aura around her follows, dissipating around Konoe. It takes some time for him to finally catch his breath.

"Holy fuck... I... What..." The words don't come to him.

Everything is confusion, and dread. And... a small lining of hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leaving Kaya aside for just a little bit...
> 
> I do want to say that most of the characters have some kind of pun name implied.
> 
> For example... Utsumi as a surname literally means "inland sea", while Shirahase as a given name means "whitecaps" + "current"... so it was always going to be that Shirahase ended up being like "rough water in a shallow sea"... calling her the Shark just fits with the ocean theme.
> 
> And Konoe is another good example, where the characters for his name would be "close + defense/protect"
> 
> I'm not great at Japanese but I like puns and double meanings more than most!


	13. Peace and Tranquility

_Another day passed. It... dawned on me that I couldn't give up._

_Not like this. Because, I still wanted to live._

_More importantly... I didn't want anyone else to die. And so..._

_I needed to find a way to move forward. And that meant... trusting the others._

~ ~ ~

Today's restricted area(s) - The laundry room, the 1st floor offices, the kitchens (starting at nighttime)

"Matsuri. Can I speak to you for a minute?" Tsubaki, devoid of her normal upbeat attitude calls Matsuri aside.

"What, what? Miss Safari wants to speak to me? Sorry, I'm looking for my dashing knight."

"...Leave Sakurai alone, okay?" Tsubaki says seriously. "What you're doing isn't right. Are you... really that afraid of dying?"

"Hm~?"

"You stole his secret so you'd have protection. Someone to keep you safe. Are you... really that afraid that you'll die? That someone will kill you?"

Matsuri chortles loudly and Tsubaki frowns.

"Come on! Really? Do I look very strong to you? ...And besides, I absolutely fear for my life. You should too." The oily smile returns.

"But, we're friends!"

"We are? Since when? Did I miss that...?" She scoffs. "And even if we were, that wouldn't matter. Chisato and Ayumu were best friends. Two of a lovely snarky threesome! Sometimes being close to someone just means less distance when you decide to stab them in the back."

"That... That's horrible..."

"You're not that naive, are you? Maybe you should look into getting a bodyguard too. Daisuke hasn't shared his secret yet. There's still time for you to stock up on knights."

"..."

"If it makes you feel any better, once we're out of here... I'll disappear." She laughs. "And Konoe can keep his sordid little secret to himself. This is a temporary thing. And there's no way he won't try to kill me when we're out... Can you imagine what a bloodbath this would be if there were no rules? No cameras? ...Someone like you wouldn't stand a chance."

"Someone... like me...?!" Tsubaki glares at her.

"No one's safe here. Especially not the weak ones. You and I... We're weak. It's just how it is. But..." All the emotion drains from her face. "You don't have to stay that way. Allies and protection go a long way. You're the nature expert. You must know all about things like that."

And without waiting for a response, she moves along in search of Konoe.

~ ~ ~

"I'm not sure I'm doing this right." Ran complains. She's not very flexible.

"Just cross your legs if you can't do it." Konoe says quietly, breathing softly.

"...What are we supposed to be doing?" Jinichi opens his eyes to stare at Konoe.

"You breathe. And meditate. Quietly."

Konoe sits in the middle of the track. The green square of the track isn't exactly grass, it's more like astroturf. Artificial grass. But the sky is also artificial. It's the closest they can get to the actual outdoors.

Konoe is in the lotus position.

Jinichi is attempting it, but not succeeding... And Ran has just crossed her legs because she can't.

There's also Yoshiki who... fell asleep on the grass twenty minutes ago.

"..."

"...Where's Yuuhi?" Ran asks, and Konoe groans softly.

"Sleeping. Ebihara wanted to keep an eye on him. He's not feeling well." Jinichi answers curtly.

"Oh... Yeah, that makes sense. He... didn't do too well with... the execution."

"Neither did any of us. And yet. He does whatever he wants. And no one says anything."

"Jinichi, that's really not fair. People handle grief differently. Insomnia isn't that uncommon." She speaks like an expert. Because she does know a thing or two about it.

"...Quiet. Breathing. Silence." Konoe says, gently. Trying to center his own thoughts had been difficult, but without sports to keep his mind occupied, all he had was meditation. And then the others had wanted to join him. "Remember?"

"Sorry." Ran straightens her posture and tries to focus on... nothing? Was that meditation?

"..."

Jinichi has the urge to say something, but... decides to keep it to himself.

Slowly though... They have a visitor.

"...Konoe." Kaya says quietly.

"...What's the matter, Nishikado?"

"I..." Kaya is still pale and a little more gaunt than she had been earlier. Sleeping was easy but the dreams were... "...Can I... join you guys...?"

"Of course!" Ran says with pure sunshine in her voice. "Sit next to me! We're doing... lotus things."

"Lotus position. Meditation. Breathing. Quiet." He says simply.

Kaya has never really been one for meditation. Her mind is usually too... chaotic. And now's no different, except it feels like she's moving through fog.

"...Does... it help? Does... meditation make it easier...?" She asks quietly.

"It's how I try to center myself. It can be as simple as taking a few moments to think of your goals. To think of the things you want to do. What you still need to do. But it's also about trying to find the strength to let go of things that are painful, to accept them, and move forward."

"...That sounds like BS to me." Jinichi says under his breath.

"..."

"Kaya?" Ran looks to her, concerned.

"I... I want to be me again. I'm tired of crying. I'm tired of feeling angry. I want to feel other things again..." She says somberly. Ayumu and Chisato... were both dead. And now she was alone. "I want to be able to know that this won't hurt me some day. If I could... just know that this won't hurt me... Or it won't hurt as much... I think I could do it..."

"Kaya..."

"...I don't... I don't hate all of you. Not... really. You're all stupid. But..." She says before taking a deep breath. "I don't want to be alone right now."

"...We're all still stupid, huh?" Jinichi says, mildly perturbed.

"You're very stupid." Kaya looks to him blankly. "Probably stupider than everyone else."

"...You have two dead best friends, so I'm going to let that slide."

"You were one of the first people to find Ayumu." She says quietly. "You must have also been scared. Especially after Konoe. Thank you for raising the alarm."

"..." Jinichi furrows a brow. Is she praising him now? "...Yeah. You're welcome. I don't get you at all."

"I'm almost as bad with people as you are. What can I say..."

"I'm glad you're feeling a little better, Kaya. We were worried."

"..." Kaya stares into nothingness. Maybe if she acts like herself, she'll feel like herself. "...Can I go back to being mean...? Being nice feels weird."

"People cope in all kinds of ways." Konoe says, eyes still closed. "If acting like your previous self will help you reconnect... I'll allow it."

"Fine. That's good. Because this fake grass is shit, and you're all still the stupidest and strangest people I have ever met."

"...Did that make you feel better?"

"...Kinda. Can I insult yoga?"

"No."

"...Can I insult rugby? Like, why the long sweaters and the short shorts? What weather are you playing in that you need that?"

"..." Konoe smiles, just slightly. "I prefer the short sleeved jersey myself."

"...I have no idea what's happening." Jinichi closes his eyes.

"It's fine, just be sour." Ran shakes her head. "It'd be weird if you weren't."

"Now then... If we're all ready to be _quiet_ and breathe..." Konoe says, and the other three (Yoshiki being still asleep) try to get into the lotus position again.

And for the briefest of moments, there's a serene calm...

And then...

"Konoe~ Darling~"

Konoe's calm facade instantly drops hearing Matsuri's voice. He'd forgotten Shirahase wasn't around. And he'd let his guard down.

"..."

She approaches with forced syrupy sweetness before placing her hands on his shoulders. He looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. Her fingers lightly drum on his shoulders.

"Sweetheart, I need your assistance."

"...Why?"

"Because I said so."

"...I'm in the middle of something."

"It wasn't a request." She leans down to his ear, with the most venomous of smiles. "Don't worry, I'll have you back to focus your chakra or whatever soon. There's something I found that I want your opinion on."

"Did you find your soul? Because it's probably damn ugly..."

"...'Even though Sakurai Konoe...'" She begins in a perfect Monokuma impression.

"I got it, I got it!" Konoe stands up in a huff. 

"I'm going too." Kaya stands up defiantly.

"Sorry, you're not invited." Matsuri snickers.

"I don't give a fuck. Consider it getting a second opinion on whatever you found."

There's a tense moment where the two stare each other down. Kaya is afraid that she'll order Konoe to stop her, and it seems like even Jinichi and Ran are worried about that... But...

"...Well, suit yourself. Walk with me, darling."

Matsuri offers her arm and Konoe, his whole body resisting, takes it and they walk arm in arm.

As Kaya follows after, she can see Matsuri is absolutely pushing his buttons by leaning on him, laying her head on his arm... And then she reaches down and pinches his ass.

Immediately, Konoe grabs her arm and bends it back so hard she nearly shrieks.

"Hands to yourself, mimic. There's a limit. And you're getting there."

"Okay, okay! You're... so cute when you're upset."

"Hey, quit molesting Konoe and just take us where you plan on going." Kaya rolls her eyes.

Matsuri had always been one to push limits... Matsuri revealed? At least ten times worse.

Konoe lets go of her arm. Matsuri takes a moment to stretch it out, pouting, before she latches onto his arm again and they continue to walk.

"Konoe, how did you get so buff?" She asks childishly.

"Sports."

"Mm... I bet you have nice abs. Can I see them some time...? I want to touch them."

"..."

"What are you three doing?"

It's Oboro who asks, frustrated. Her room on the first floor had been restricted for two days now. She'd had to find a different place to call her own, but there weren't many places that were private.

"...I'm watching the creepiest case of sexual harassment unfold, want to come along? Matsuri said she found something."

"Are you inviting people to my tea party? That's not good manners." Matsuri pouts.

"Neither is trying to feel up a guy who's got a girlfriend, but I guess we can't all have winning personalities. Which is unfortunate for you since you have two and they're both rotten."

"...Normally, I'd be opposed to such a vulgar display..." Oboro shrugs. "But it is the most interesting thing I've seen all day. Alright. Lead the way."

"Ooh. A double date. Here comes the yuri route."

"To think that vulgar mouth could somehow become more vulgar. Quite shocking."

"You don't fool me, weather lady. We're two of a kind~"

"I should hope not."

They continue their way across the second floor and then... up to the third floor.

Konoe instantly tenses up when they pass by where he'd been hit.

"Look, sweetie. It's where we first met."

"...We met three years ago."

"But we _really_ met here." She squeezes his arm to her face and Konoe visibly recoils.

"...Is this what you wanted to show us?"

"This is just the first stop. Notice anything strange?"

"No." Konoe scoffs.

"I know! Isn't that strange?"

Kaya frowns and then... realizes...

There's no blood. Konoe's blood, the bloody message... even the pipe... They're all... Gone.

There's nothing there that would even show up as a crime scene.

"...What..." Kaya trembles. "What the fuck is this...?"

"What's wrong?" Konoe looks to her, concerned.

"Someone cleaned up your mess." Oboro states with a smile. "It is intriguing. Who could have done such a thing."

"Well, I didn't see it myself but... I'm going to guess it was the Mono-men." Matsuri chuckles. "Just like they did with Zenji!"

At this Oboro's smile immediately drops. Now she's more on edge than anyone.

"How... How did they get in...?" Konoe gapes at the whole thing.

"Probably the windows. Or maybe there really _is_ a secret passage... They can come in whenever they want. But they don't. However... I guess they'll be our cleaners when someone spills blood. Isn't that fascinating? To think there were Mono-men up on the third floor and we never knew! Scaaaary!"

"...But... But that's..."

"That's right, Kaya. Why do you think the first floor is off limits...? Could it be...?"

Kaya begins to tremble violently.

"What... What is it?" Konoe watches.

"Could it be that Ayumu is being cleaned up...? Like he never existed...? The same as Zenji! I bet they mopped up the whole thing. Do you think they can fix the scratches in the floor from where he fought with Chisato or is that too much work for even them? I wonder."

"Hey. You seriously need to stop that." Konoe looks at her with disgust. "Why do you have to go around hurting people?"

"Indeed. You do seem to go out of your way to annoy others." Oboro is back to smiling, but it's clearly fake and petty now. "Could it be that you're so insecure that you need anyone and everyone to notice you at all times? Are you really so forgettable? That's why you started mimicking other people's voices and putting on shows. Because no one likes you or cares about you. And they still don't."

The wave of vitriol passes over Matsuri and her eyes widen as if Oboro has seen something dark and ugly inside of her.

The cheer in her eyes all falls away when she turns to Konoe.

"I hate her. Would you break her nose for me?" She asks nicely.

"...!" Konoe flinches. "...No... That's..."

"Did you forget what position you're in? It's your favorite position... I know that for a fact."

Konoe trembles under her grip.

"Oh? You'll sick your thug on me?" Oboro laughs. "Did I hit the mark? Are you really that boring and repulsive that you have to pretend to be other people to have a personality? No wonder the one you grew is so ugly."

"...Konoe, I'd like her two front teeth too. Pretty please."

"..." Konoe looks to Oboro, conflicted, but Oboro doesn't move.

"Please. Do try." Oboro's eyes narrow. She won't go down without a fight.

"That's enough!" Kaya says before he shoves Matsuri and Konoe along. "You said this was the first stop, let's go see the second. Now!"

Oboro laughs to herself and follows some distance behind. Matsuri is staring daggers at Oboro... And Oboro simply waves and blows kisses like it doesn't even bother her.

Their next stop is...

The roof?

"...The roof? What's all this for...?"

The sky is as unpleasant as ever, but Oboro seems to be enjoying the fresh air for what it is.

"...Look." Matsuri's mirth has disappeared. She points out across the way. There's no camera up here and... no guard rail either. That's worrying by itself. "Over there."

She's pointing to a separate building.

"...That's Administration... right? And the Science building is the next one over...? I think." Kaya covers her face as gusts of wind buffet her hair.

"Administration has no power." Matsuri smiles again, back to gloating. "I'm almost positive. I waited here yesterday to see if any of the lights came on. But no movement, no lights... Not even when it got dark."

"...Meaning what?"

"No power... No monitors. No cameras." She smiles to Konoe. "No Monokuma."

"Wha-?!" Kaya moves closer. She is... not getting near the edge of this building. Not even if Konoe is there to keep Matsuri from pushing her.

"...Well, a thought crossed my mind-"

"How unusual." Oboro laughs.

"...What if we could get across? It isn't that far a distance... We could go from the Student Center to Administration... somehow."

"The cameras would still see us going to the third floor, and up to the roof." Konoe counters. "Monokuma would just restrict access to the third floor."

"There are ways up." Kaya says thinking back. "Matsunaga climbed in from the outside, remember? He opened the grates and that's how we got in... If it really came to it, we could... ask him to bring us up to the roof."

"Thirteen people on one roof. That seems dangerous for no guard rails." Oboro sighs. She wasn't terribly fond of heights. "And how would we get across...?"

"...Some of us might be able to make the jump. It would be... close though." Konoe is thinking out loud. "I think Matsunaga and maybe Kaya and I could make the jump. We could... go and get help?"

"Absolutely forbidden." Matsuri smiles. "You're not allowed to leave me by myself, knight."

"...This isn't about you, this is about getting out of here!"

"And I do want to get out of here. But I won't let you leave me alone."

"..." A small part of him does feel bad for Matsuri. She just wants to live. The problem is that she doesn't care about anyone else. Not even him. "Fine. Whatever. Matsunaga and Kaya could probably make it... Maybe Daisuke and Shirahase too. I don't know."

"For the rest of us, it would be no mean feat. We would need a way across. A... bridge? Perhaps?"

"I don't know." Matsuri shrugs dramatically. "All I know is that it's the best option we have to get out. Don't have to go through Mono-men... just go over them. And on to the next building, or whatever... If Monokuma can't get to us there, then all we have to do is survive crazy people and hop the fence. I like our chances of that better than thirteen idiots working against each other."

"..." Kaya hates to admit it, but Matsuri makes logical sense. They could hate each other after they were free. But for now, they were all they had. "...We should keep this quiet for now. I think."

"Really?" Oboro seems surprised.

"I mean, we can tell people but we can't do it where there are cameras. But it'd be weird to have everyone meet up here."

"Then... the bathrooms? It's easy enough to gather the other girls."

"Well, yeah. But guys don't go to the bathroom in groups." Konoe says, almost sarcastically.

"At the very least, we should bring Matsunaga in on this. He's the best one for this job." Kaya says quietly.

"Welp. I've done my part. I think I want a nap." Matsuri smiles. "Konoe, come with me."

"I'm not sleeping with you."

That came out wrong but the meaning was right.

"No, silly. I need to have a little discussion with you."

Konoe grumbles and follows after her.

"...She's got him on a tight leash. He could become a problem." Oboro looks to Kaya seriously.

"I don't think so. Shirahase practically bit her head off, told her to fuck off with her shit, and said if she used Konoe to do something like a murder then she'd kill her... And... Yeah, I believe her."

"Well. In any case, he's someone to watch out for. You can't trust him the way he is now. It's something to keep in the forefront of your mind." She smiles. "But I had fun today. Regardless of the unpleasantness."

"Yeah, well, good. You kind of added fuel to that fire."

...

In the hallway leading up to the stairs, Matsuri leads Konoe along before stopping.

"I can't have you disobeying my orders."

"...I'm not hurting people for you. Not anymore. Ask me to do whatever else, fine. But... I'm not your thug."

"That's exactly what you are." Matsuri's eyes turn deadly to him. "Boys are good for only two things... And the one you're not really capable of."

"What... does that mean?!"

"Let's play a short game. It's just a game where I ask questions and you tell me the truth."

"..." He glares at her. "Fine."

"Do you love him?"

"..." He instantly turns red thinking about it, but... being forced to say something like that out loud is... "...Yes."

"Do you think about him...?"

"...Of course I do."

"You know what I mean. Do you think about him."

He thinks he understands what she means. "...Sometimes."

"Would you kill for him?"

"...If I had to." The eyes turn dangerously towards her. "I'd kill you for him, no question."

"Then it's a good thing I got you before it came to that."

The next thing he hears is...

"Konoe, you're... disgusting!"

He flinches and automatically seethes with anger. She's... She's using Daisuke's voice.

"Stop that."

"You're dating my sister! What the fuck, man?! You've been... touching yourself thinking about me haven't you?! Ugh..."

"I said stop it!"

"...Like I'd ever love someone as disgusting as you!"

Matsuri finds herself slammed into the wall by him. His arm moves and presses into her windpipe. She can barely breathe.

"You really want to see how far this goes...? You want to see how far I let you push me...? This far. And only this far. If I ever hear you use his voice again... I'll..."

"...!" Matsuri struggles as he presses in further against her neck. Now she can't breathe at all. She kicks ineffectually and claws at his arm.

"...I told you I could kill for him. I could absolutely kill you, Matsuri. Do you feel that...? Do you feel the world slipping away...? That's what it felt like when you hit me. But it must be worse this way. Your mind must be on fire... Do you feel that, Matsuri? That's what death feels like. That's what you want to do to other people. That's death. And it's coming closer... And it'll take you. See how far I'll take this, Matsuri? Just watch."

Maybe he and Shirahase aren't so dissimilar after all. Are his eyes like hers now? Does the negative aura roil around him?

"Konoe!" Kaya latches onto his arm and pulls back. Konoe is stronger than her, for sure, but Kaya is relentless. "Please! Don't... I... I can't watch this! I can't go through this again, please! If she dies, you die!"

Oboro watches from the sidelines, amused but not bothered, as Kaya successfully pries Konoe away. In truth, Konoe does it for her, but killing Matsuri... hadn't really been his plan.

Matsuri drops to the ground coughing and gasping for air.

Kaya immediately moves to block Konoe with her arms stretched.

"...You'll die if you kill her, Konoe. Just... Let it go. Alright? What would Daisuke say?"

"..." Konoe flinches. Does... Does Kaya know too...? He gives a pained sigh and backs up, putting his hands up as if to say he's no longer a threat to her. "I wasn't going to kill her."

"Could have fooled me."

"I mean it. I'm not killing anyone. At least not on camera. And I wouldn't die for her."

"...Konoe. I get it. I really... I really do get it." She'd been trapped in a freezer by Matsuri. If she hadn't done that... Maybe... Maybe she could have gone to Chisato. Maybe she could have helped Ayumu... Maybe it all could have been avoided or... Maybe she was fooling herself. "But... I don't want anyone else to die. Not even her."

"...I promise, I won't kill anyone." He states more simply, with a deep breath. Reason seems to be taking him again. "At least now she knows how far I'll let her control me. Isn't that right, Matsuri?"

Matsuri stands, shaky, and laughing or... sputtering, laughter and coughing.

"I... I picked a good bodyguard..." She coughs again. "We'll... We'll discuss your punishment later."

"Yeah. I'll bet."

"Maybe... I'll feed you popsicles with your arms behind your back... I'm sure... I'm sure you'll like the simulation... You're probably a master at it by now!"

"Keep talking and I'll knock you out. I don't have to kill you, I can just keep you unconscious."

Although it looks like Matsuri has something else to say she shuffles off down the hall, chuckling and sputtering as she goes.

"...That girl is fucked up. But..." Kaya looks back to Konoe. "What the fuck were you doing, Mister Serenity? Are you out of your fucking mind?!"

"..." Probably.

"What if you actually did kill her! Oboro and I were right there. We would've seen you. You'd... You'd be..."

Executed. The word she can't say.

"I'm sorry I scared you. That wasn't my intention."

"Well... That got heated." Oboro laughs and breezes past them. "It was fun, though. Apparently you've shown her a leash can be pulled from either end."

"...Speaking of fucked up." Kaya mutters under her breath. "...Why is everyone in this class so fucking damaged?!"

"Pressure to succeed, impossible demands, terrible home lives, secrets, double lives, the fact that one of us is an actual psychopath..." Konoe lists quietly. "...Maybe this is why everyone kills so easily."

"What do you mean?"

"...Monokuma said the Student Council killed each other. And then the Reserve Course kids attacked. I think... Maybe it's us. Maybe it's the school. We're all just... fucking terrible, aren't we."

"..." Kaya takes a deep breath, and tries to steady her thoughts. She can't afford to fall apart now. He might be right. But... He can't fall apart either. "...I wish you'd just tell him."

"Huh?"

"Tell him you love him and just... get it over with!" She says exasperated. 

"...Y... You..." How...?! He's turning blue again. Why does everyone know?!

"I'm sorry, was I struck deaf, dumb, and blind? Was I supposed to ignore the very thinly veiled homophobic remarks from Matsuri...? How fucking stupid do you think I am? I had to figure out my best friend killed my other best friend, you think I can't read between the lines?!"

In that case, Matsuri knew... Kaya knew... Shirahase knew... Oboro probably knew. He groaned.

"...I want to. I really do. But... Not like this. And not here."

"She is going to ride you into the ground. Cut her loose. Just... I'll tell him for you if you want!" Kaya moves to go but Konoe grabs her arm. "What? You don't want me to?"

"...Please... don't..."

"You can't stop her. Not without killing her. And I'm not going to sit back and watch her do this to you. It's not right. Cut her loose, let her fall all on her own. Please, Konoe. Before you kill her, or Shirahase kills her... Or... She kills someone else!"

"...I... I know you're right. I..." He says, quietly. "I do... I know. But... I'm afraid. Okay? I'm... fucking afraid."

"Well, duh. We're all afraid right now. Like... I don't... I don't want to have to. It's not my business. And ideally you'd come out of the closet all on your own, but this is... our lives. Your life. If you don't tell him, I will. I'm not saying it as a threat. Just... If you can't, I'll do it."

"Fuck... Just..." He sighs, loudly. "Don't... Not... Not unless I ask you to. Okay?"

"..." Kaya then throws up her hands. "Whatever. However you want to do this. I'm sorry. This is a shitty situation all around but... if we're going to end up trapped in here for too much longer, she's going to keep pushing your buttons. So... Please tell him. And if he doesn't understand or whatever, fuck him, you can save your drama for when we're out of here. Okay?"

"...I know. You're right. And... I'm sorry I scared you." He pauses for a moment. "We need to talk to Matsunaga, right? And... Shirahase probably wants to talk to you too. Trust me. It's... I can't get into that now, but it's a whole big thing."

"Alright. We'll figure it out."

"Hey! There you are! Oboro said you were..." Ran nearly skids to a halt. Konoe and Kaya look very deep in a serious conversation. There's an impish smile on her face now. "...What are you two doing?"

"Nothing."

"Did I interrupt a scandalous rendezvous?" Her smile gets wider.

"..." Konoe tries to keep his expression neutral. Well. Ran doesn't know, that's something.

"What do you want, Ran?"

"Oh! Well. There... was an incident...?" She says trying to soften the word but it doesn't soften.

It puts both of them on high alert.

"An incident?!"

"Yeah... It... It's weird. Okay. Well... Daisuke and Matsunaga..."

"What happened to Daisuke?" Konoe's voice becomes firm and dangerous.

"What? Oh, nothing bad. It... It's not... No one's dead. It's fine."

"What. Happened." He repeats.

"...Come down to the second floor. He... He's a little... distraught?"

Konoe bolts off without looking back, faster than someone with a head wound should be running, probably.

Kaya rolls her eyes. These people are the stupidest and they will be the death of her.

~ ~ ~

_I didn't know there was another tragedy already brewing. I..._

_I knew I should have expected as much, but..._

_It was just... Not at all what I was expecting it would be!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An incident, a secret, an escape plan in the making...
> 
> And an unforeseen tragedy looming on the horizon. The cracks are beginning to get worse. Will the 13 survivors crumble...?


	14. Hope & Despair 101

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A light intermission to break up some of the tension - how did Class 76-B meet? And what were they like at the very beginning before the Final Exam pitted them against each other?

_I remember how I first met all of these people. Our first... day together at Hope's Peak Academy._

_It was the first time I met you, too. I doubt you remember me. I was just a little first year, and you were a third year. I remember... I remember hating you on sight. It wasn't how you looked or sounded, and even though I thought so at the time, it wasn't even really about how you acted._

_To be honest... I was jealous of you. You had friends right there beside you. And I... I've never had friends like that. Or... I mean... I hadn't until I got to Hope's Peak. And... And now it's too late to tell them. I wish I'd been... nicer. I was a cold-hearted bitch, bitter as fuck, and... even I didn't like me._

_Even among the... crazier people in Class 76, I was... I guess I stood out. Everyone knew who I was, because the damn chatrooms couldn't shut up about me. I mean, of course I read them all. I'm only human. So I came to school ready to show everyone. If they thought I was the mean girl, I'd give them mean._

_..._

_I was a fucking idiot. And now..._

_My classmates... My... My friends..._

_We've been together for three years. We... We were friends, weren't we...?_

~ ~ ~

The towers of Hope's Peak stretch high into the sky, overwhelming in every regard.

An intimidating school with an intimidating title, and even more intimidating students and alumni. And the newest class is Class 76.

Nishikado Kaya - accepted as the Super High School Level Cyclist - stares blankly ahead. Her hair is long and black, and she really isn't sure what she should be doing.

She'd done her research. She'd looked into who would be coming, though some of the names and people were question marks. Some of them she'd heard about just by reputation.

Kaya checks her watch. 7:30AM. She was told to meet in the gym at 8:00AM sharp for the entrance ceremony. But... even though she'd come early, she found it hard to settle down enough to go in.

Another student, a pretty girl with a long braid... wearing... a raincoat for some reason walks by.

"Be careful. They're predicting rain today." She says curtly as she walks by.

...Who's they?! The sun is shining. There's no way it's going to rain.

Kaya begins to walk.

"Dude! Look! It's Hope's Peak!" An energetic young man with short bleached white hair is marvelling at the buildings up ahead.

"Obviously. That's what the gate says." A tall young man, muscular, wearing some kind of... sports clothing is talking to him. Is that soccer? Or... rugby clothes...?

"...How did you manage to get two Super High School Levels?"

"...I just did lots of stuff. But I only got two." He sighs. "I couldn't make it for soccer or kickboxing. Just rugby and yoga."

"...Dude. I got one. Fucking one. Don't get all depressed because you only got two."

"Yeah, but you're a natural at archery, Daisuke. I'm..." He searches for the word. "...I'm not good at things like you are."

"You got picked to go to Hope's Peak! I don't want to hear your false modesty."

"It's not false."

"...Hey, are you really okay with this though? Moving here? You won't get to see Yukino for a while."

"I told her I'd look after you. Keep you from getting into trouble. She said, 'Daisuke's an idiot, make sure he doesn't get himself killed, okay?' ...So, here I am."

"..." Daisuke groans loudly. "Why does she always treat me like I'm a little kid?! She's only one year older than me!"

"...I thought it was sweet. She's jealous of you."

"...Konoe. My sister doesn't get jealous. She only gets angry. That's the only emotion she has."

"...I'm going to tell her you said that."

"Don't!"

"Hey. Are you feeling okay?" Konoe reaches out and feels his forehead. "...You're running a fever."

"Y-Yeah..."

"Do you still have the flu? I thought you got over that."

"I did. But... It came back. I guess I got too nervous and stressed myself out."

"You're working yourself too hard again."

"I can't help it! I gotta get myself scouted and then... I dunno! Did you get scouted yet?"

"...There've been some offers. I don't know yet."

"What do you mean you don't know?!"

"Well... I was waiting to see what offers you got. We could go to the same university if we get scouted by the same schools. You said you wanted to room together if we both picked the same place."

"Maybe I'll get an overseas offer, what'll you do then, Konoe?" Daisuke asks teasingly.

"...I already got some overseas offers." A simple answer.

"I hate you. So much."

The two jocks continue to bicker and tease each other back and forth. As expected, two idiots, Kaya thinks.

There's a girl in the entrance, looking around frantically. She's got messy hair tied back and for some reason, her arms are all cut up. They look like... cat scratches? 

"How is anyone supposed to know where to go...?! This place is too damn big. Why isn't there anyone here to show us around...?!"

This girl is a spazz. Kaya rolls her eyes at her.

"If you're lost, we can go together." A man in some kind of spandex drops from the ceiling like the creepiest spider in existence and that makes the girl jump and shriek.

"Wh-Who are you?!"

"...Stop screaming."

"You're super weird!"

"...Matsunaga Sorata." He says quietly. His hair's a little shaggy, but he's got a bleached stripe through it, so that's... Actually, what does that mean? He looks like he's a punk in a ballet class. "That is my name."

"Where'd you come from?!"

"...Originally? I was born in-"

"Not that!"

"Oh. The ceiling of course. I was... investigating." He means snooping.

"..." The girl sizes him up. "Your talent?"

"Acrobat. Yours?"

"...Veterinarian." She says, still not sure she can trust him. "Ebihara Shoko. That's my name."

"And I'm Ijishima Ran!" A young girl with bright pink hair pops in between them, scaring Shoko half to death.

"Don't go popping up scaring the shit out of people!" Matsunaga yells, also clearly surprised.

"...I thought we were introducing ourselves." Ran almost looks dejected but then she pulls out the... strangest looking totem anyone has ever seen. It looks like a pink dog with bug eyes that go in two different directions. "My good luck charm will show us the way!"

"...What the hell is that?"

"It's my guide dog."

"That's not what a guide dog is!" Shoko puts her hands on her hips.

"It's telling me... We're looking for... The gym!"

"...Yeah, I have a piece of paper telling me that. Can your weird little whatever-the-hell tell us where the gym _is_?" Matsunaga's cool image has devolved into frantic aggression.

As Kaya continues on, ignoring the three hopeless idiots, she's easily found her way to the gym because - unsurprisingly - that's where other people are going. Clearly those three are just useless people.

As she gets closer, there's a decently buff young woman there with a gently tied back ponytail. Her hair's bleached platinum blonde. She... looks like she could be a punk, but her attitude really doesn't fit that image. If anything, she looks like the kind of person who would smash a gangster into the ground.

"They haven't called for us yet." She says, standing outside the gym door. "I asked them if we should come in, but they said they could call for us."

"Oh. Okay. Weird. Why not get someone to tell us what we're supposed to do?"

"Who can say." The buff young lady shrugs ineffectually. "Direction here seems rather vague. I have been waiting here since 7. I did not want to be late."

"No kidding."

Showing up an entire hour early? What kind of strange person does that...?

"My name is Utsumi Shirahase. A pleasure. You must by the Cyclist?"

"...Yeah. Nishikado Kaya. You're the Weightlifter right?"

"That is my title." She says gently. "Nice to meet you. I am happy to see another female athlete."

"Yeah. Same."

...There's something off about her, somehow. Not that she'd ever say it out loud. There's something frightening about someone who's so visibly pleasant and serene, who also has the ability to squish your skull like rotting fruit. Plus, she wasn't terribly good at natural conversation and small talk... Not a crime by itself, but something she'd keep in mind for later.

~ ~ ~

The new students are assembled in the gym for some kind of entrance ceremony. Kaya finds the whole thing rather tedious, but she can see some of the same people sitting around her.

And then the Student Council President appears to make a speech.

A third year named Munakata Kyosuke... Yeah, he looks like a President type. Stuffy and robotic. Is there any other type? 

Waiting in the wings for him is some tall and buff bruiser type. He looks pretty stupid. But he can't keep his eyes off Munakata. And then there's some shorter girl who's clearly in awe of the President... Actually, the look she's giving the President is pretty identical to the buff dude. If she didn't know better... Well... Maybe? It... wasn't right to assume but...

"Welcome to Hope's Peak Academy." He begins. "This academy has a proud tradition of recruiting the best from all corners of the world, from all walks of life. The best men and women in their fields. And I hope you'll be as honored as I am to be a part of this tradition. We do so to cultivate Hope. To make the world a better place. It may seem a lofty and unattainable goal, but I believe we can achieve such a goal."

"...Yeah, I'll bet." Kaya says under her breath. What a tool.

The way his friends look at him... with such admiration. She can't help the jealousy she feels. There's seriously something wrong with this man to be able to unironically go on and on about hope. Hope. What does that mean? What's it supposed to mean?

Isn't everyone just here to get ahead in life...? In the end, people only look out for themselves.

"Geez, why are all Student Council types sooooo boring." A boy next to her says. He's short, but she decides she might like this kid.

"I know, right? I have things to do, move it along, buddy..."

"Guys, be quiet." A girl with brown hair tied in pigtails turns around in her seat in a frantic whisper. "We'll get in trouble!"

"...I doubt it. You worry too much." Kaya snickers. "It's not like anyone really cares."

But looking around she sees that isn't true.

Because there's at least one boy who's very interested in the speech about Hope. Some kid... must be an exchange student with the reddish hair. He's super into it. Kaya rolls her eyes. Get a life, dude.

"...The road to Hope is often one that takes us through great hardship. It's easy to want to give up. To think that you aren't good enough. To think you can't do the things you must. To face life's hardships, one requires a fortitude of will, flexibility of spirit, adaptability of the mind. Sometimes you'll want to give up. And give in to Despair. But you must remain strong! Hope is not something you have or don't have, it's something you create... Something that you must grow and foster within yourself."

There's a dramatic pause.

"..." 

"Because if you don't believe that life is worth living... If you give up... What is that, if not Despair?"

...Despair, huh?

Fancy words. What does that even mean...? Hope and despair...

The words mean nothing to her. She pushes them from her mind.

"Heh. I am Hopebot..." The boy next to her says.

"Meep, mork." Kaya adds, with a snicker.

"What kind of robot makes that noise...?" The girl snickers.

"A Hopebot." Kaya whispers. "I am Hopebot, meep mork. All your Hope are belong to me."

The three of them, even the girl with pigtails, have started to quietly laugh to themselves, shaking with laughter.

After the speech is over, they are told to find their classrooms to meet their new classmates.

And as luck would have it, the boy and girl are both in Kaya's class. She learns their names are Okui Ayumu and Kogure Chisato.

~ ~ ~

"Deep in the forbidden jungles of Hope's Peak Academy, the elusive mockingbird builds her nest." A strange young woman with camoflague print under her uniform is narrating something while some weird kid with a shaved head is videotaping her.

They're staring at some rather plain-looking girl who is in the process of making puppets.

There's got to be something wrong with someone who actually makes puppets. That just isn't healthy.

"...What are you doing?" A handsome boy leans in, confused. He looks like a bookish sort.

"Narrating. Duh." She answers simply. "The mockingbird is known for its ability to mimic the voices of others she has met, isn't that right?"

"..." The girl looks up at her from her puppet.

"Outta my face, I ain't lookin' for a fan club, zebra stripes!" A raspy squeaky voice appears from a purple-haired puppet and the girl in camo print nearly leaps back.

"Holy shit! Scary powers!"

"You need to stop being so loud!" A taller boy with glasses in a chef's jacket and apron points at her. He's... easily louder than everyone else.

Mizuno Tsubaki. Ono Zenji. Souma Matsuri. Tachibana Yoshiki. Hirano Jinichi.

Kaya makes notes in her notebook. She's written their names, basic descriptions, and how stupid she expects them to be. So far, mostly everyone is an idiot.

Mizuno... space cadet. Ono... weirdo. Matsuri... psychotic most likely. Tachibana... moderate annoyance. Hirano... too stupid to live.

"Hey, Konoe. Were you serious about wanting to end up at university together?"

"...Well, yeah, why not? We've been together since middle school. Why ruin a good thing?"

"Yeah but... What if I can't..."

"Can't what?" He laughs. "You made it to Hope's Peak. As long as you can aim a bow, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Haha... Yeah..."

"You alright? You still not feeling well?"

"I'm okay. Just got some aches and pains."

"Where? Shoulders again?" Konoe has him face forward. "I'm no Super High School Level Masseuse but I've got some strong hands."

Without waiting for the response, he begins to knead at Daisuke's shoulders. Except for a few sharp gasps of pain, Daisuke seems to be enjoying it.

Tatsuma Daisuke, the Archer... Idiot level... Moderate to Severe. 

And Sakurai Konoe, Rugby Star... Yoga... dude...? Yogi...? What's the word for it? ...Idiot level... zero to 1000% in less than ten seconds.

"Holy shit. I don't know how you do that but... I need more."

"..." Konoe turns away, face reddening. "You're making it weird."

"My sister's lucky if this is how you're touching her. I'm gonna get jealous."

"...You made it SUPER weird."

...These two idiots sound like they're talking about getting married. The idiot with the bow is stupider than the rugby one. Or... is it the other way around? ...Their idiot levels keep rising and falling.

~ ~ ~

Rain begins to fall, raindrops tapping against the window as Oboro smiles. Right again.

Tendo Oboro... the Meteorologist. Kaya makes a note. Creepy. Maybe a rain sprite?

"Look at that mysterious smile! That imperious glare...!" Zenji has taken to framing her in his shot. "Can we see her in action?"

"Hey! What about my documentary?!"

"We're moving to a different natural science, keep up." He says flippantly as he films Oboro.

"...Go away." She says without looking at him. "Your vulgar gawking is unsightly."

"So cold! So chilling! An Empress... Can we have that line again, only with more disdain?"

Oboro smiles to herself and turns sharply to the camera, dramatically.

"Go away!" She says with a flair. "Your vulgar gawking is most unsightly! Begone from my sight!"

"Perfect~ Magnifique!"

"...This took a creepy turn." Tsubaki shakes her head.

"You're the Weightlifter, Utsumi?" Matsunaga asks the young woman who stands at the back of the classroom.

"That's right."

"Would you be willing to launch me into the air?"

"...For what purpose?"

"I want to test a maneuver I've been working on."

"...I can't throw you." The Weightlifer, Utsumi says blankly to the Acrobat.

"Sure you can. Just give it your best shot."

"...You'll end up going through the ceiling."

"Not if I maneuver it right. I want to see if I can latch onto the ceiling."

Matsunaga Sorata... showboat dweeb. Mild idiot.

"Not a good idea."

"...Fine. Then can I use you to balance?"

"..." She gives him a puzzled look. "...You should balance by yourself, I think."

Utsumi Shirahase... strong silent type. One to watch. There's something there...

"Rain, rain, go away!" The pink-haired weirdo is chanting with some kind of... doll? Talisman? Paper... ball... monster, thing. "I banish thee!"

...Ijishima Ran. A literal five year old. 50/50 chance she's actually as stupid as she sounds.

"What do you want?" Shoko glares at her.

Kaya frowns.

"Nothing, spazz."

"Then turn around. Your bad attitude's ruining my good mood." She says with a huff.

"Excuse me, Princess. Didn't mean to shit all over your soiree."

Ebihara Shoko. Grumpy, moody, snob. Idiot levels are off the chart!

"Hey. That's a little too mean." Chisato says giving her a look.

"Yeah, really. Why be so nasty on your first day? Don't you have to pace the bitchiness before you run out?" Shoko glares at her.

"Well, if anyone was an expert on how much of a bitch you can be every day, I'm sure you'd be the expert."

"Ooh! Catfight! Meow~" Matsuri snickers.

"Two alpha females fight for their right to lead the herd." Tsubaki puts on her documentary voice as Zenji turns to film them. "Only one can come out on top, but who will it be?"

"Turn that fucking thing off, you wannabe." Kaya snarls at Zenji.

"See how she bares her fangs as a sign of aggression. A classic move from the wild. And it's super effective."

"Seriously, though. You're being super rude right now. Don't film people without permission. It makes you seem like a creep." Shoko frowns.

"And the other alpha sticks to the high ground. An interesting tactic, and one this reporter hasn't seen before, dear viewers."

"Would you knock it off?!"

"Yeah, really, what is your problem?!"

"And if you look closely, the two alpha females are quite similar indeed." Tsubaki nods to herself. "Quite similar."

"Hah! Double burn~" Ayumu laughs.

Kogure Chisato... jellyfish. Minor idiot.

Okui Ayumu... class clown. Moderate idiot.

And then there's him.

Yuuhi Rivera is talking to the President, Munakata in the hallway. She can see him from there. The buff guy looks a bit bored, but the shorter girl is all smiles.

What are they talking about...? She can't help but wonder.

Whatever it is, Yuuhi seems enthralled and is eagerly speaking. At some points, the buff guy and the short girl smile and shake their heads like they're amused by Yuuhi somehow. It's not condescending. Maybe they recognize something in Yuuhi that's also in Munakata.

She scribbles her notes.

Yuuhi Rivera... Spanish Teacher and Linguist... Ice cube. Hopebot Jr. meep mork

And that just leaves...

_Nishikado Kaya. Me. Duh. Obviously. Total fucking idiot. Like, unprecedented levels. What are you even doing here with these weirdos? They make you look normal._

"Everyone in this class is a fucking idiot." She mumbles under her breath.

Herself included.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To keep the mood from getting TOO heavy (and also to develop some characters who might not get much action on account of being dead and such), I'll be doing little intermission chapters like this here and there to kind of give an idea of what school / daily life was like before the Tragedy.
> 
> These are intended to be light-hearted and maybe foreshadowing of things to come.


	15. Eyes on the Prize

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Mutual Killing Game Final Exam: Rules & Regulations!**  
> 
>
>> 1\. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited and offenders will be punished!  
> 2\. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered  
> 3\. The Body Discovery Announcement will play when 3 or more students discover a dead body  
> 4\. No more than 2 students may be killed by one culprit at a time  
> 5\. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students will be required to participate in the class trial - attendance is mandatory!  
> 6\. If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be punished  
> 7\. If the guilty party is not exposed during the class trial, then everyone but the guilty party will be punished and the blackened will be allowed to graduate!  
> 8\. Certain areas may be marked as restricted areas from 10PM to 7AM - trespassing is strictly prohibited!  
> 9\. Violation of school rules is grounds for immediate punishment!  
> 10\. With minimal restrictions, students are free to come and go as they please!  
> 

"Are you feeling better?" Shoko asks sitting by Yuuhi's bedside on the second floor.

By now it's very close to nighttime.

"...Not entirely. But, better than before. Thank you."

"It's no problem. It's what I do. Well... You're not a dog, but it's sort of what I do." She says sighing. "With how much people seem to get hurt or... do stupid things, I wish there were a real doctor around."

"We'll be depending on you, I suppose." Yuuhi says quietly. "How are you holding up? You seem like you're trying very hard to hold it together."

"..." She looks away. "The stuff with Chisato and Kaya was... I just can't put it out of my mind. I hate her. More than any of you but... I would never say something like what Chisato said to her. That's just... too mean."

"I expect that's why she said it." Yuuhi wipes his face with his sleeve. "People who are close... Loved ones... They say mean things sometimes specifically to hurt you as much as possible."

"Yeah, but not 'it should have been you' stuff..." Shoko crosses her arms. "No one who's your friend or loved one should ever be saying that to you, you know? What kind of monster does that?! No one deserves to hear that, no matter what they did. No one should be saying that to anyone!"

Yuuhi stares at her. Completely dumbfounded.

...It's not normal... to say things like that to someone... 

Suddenly he's lost in his own thoughts, and Shoko can see him delving deeper. 

"..."

Shoko can only stare back at him, confused. It... looks like she said something wrong.

"H-Hey... I'm... I'm sorry. Did I say something I shouldn't have?"

"..." Yuuhi does his best to hide his emotions from her. "No. I suppose not. I... I've never heard someone say what you have."

"Really? It's like... common sense. Abusing people you supposedly love and then telling them it's their fault? That's just... abuse! Even if you're mad at them, blaming a shitty situation on someone who's also in a shitty situation is..." She shakes her head. "I'm sorry. I can't talk about it, I just get so... angry. People are the worst. It's like people who kick their dogs when they get mad, like what the fuck did the dog do? Take responsibility for your emotions and deal with them like a reasonable adult! You don't just bludgeon someone with your own negative feelings because you're hurting... because... it's just not fucking fair! It was a shitty situation, and Chisato made it sound like Kaya had some kind of decision in it! It wasn't anyone's fault but Ayumu's that... I'm... I'm sorry. I'll stop. I... This is why I can't stand people."

"..."

Awkward tension fills the room as Shoko cools down. Slowly, she looks to him.

"...It's water, right? You're afraid of water?" She asks softly, as if someone might be listening. Someone aside from Monokuma, anyway.

"...Yes."

"I thought so. As bad as the trial was, you kind of lost it when the... execution. I mean, so did I but... You were okay even when we were sentencing her to die so... It's water that you can't deal with."

"Not all water. I can take showers and drink water just fine. It's not anything like that. But..." Yuuhi struggles to find the right word. "...It's big water."

"...Big water?"

"Oceans. Lakes. Rivers. They... make me anxious."

"Oh, that kind of big water. Like... pools even?"

"...Pools are..." He shudders. "Manageable... when necessary. But... never open ocean."

"Huh. That's a weird phobia for someone someone who lived in Okinawa. Isn't that an island?"

"...Technically we also live on an island. And all land masses can be qualified as islands, in a way."

Shoko's expression drops. He was battling her with words and logic.

"Okay, fair."

"...I don't want to get into it." He says quietly. "But it's more a fear of drowning or being swept away."

"You should try to take it easy for a bit. The situation's stressful enough as it is."

The sound of a scream sets the two of them immediately on edge. Did... Did something happen?!

Immediately they bolt out of the room.

~ ~ ~

What they see is really no less than chaos.

Matsunaga, Jinichi, and Tsubaki are struggling to hold Daisuke back as he bucks and kicks against their hold. A bored and annoyingly smug Monokuma looks at him as if playing innocent.

They can see Ran heading up the stairs to the third floor quickly.

"What happened?!" Shoko follows the sounds of Daisuke's anguished flailing with Yuuhi right behind her.

"I'll fucking kill you! How could you?!" Daisuke tries to break free of the three of them but they're holding him back with everything they have.

"How could I...? Well, it was easy. First I printed out some paper, and then I got a staple gun..."

"I'll kill you for this, you bastard!"

"Huh? Isn't that an extreme reaction? Is someone in your condition supposed to be freaking out like that? It can't be good for you~"

"What's going on?" Yuuhi narrows his eyes.

Then he sees all of the papers on the wall. Hundreds of papers. Half of the corridor is covered floor to ceiling in papers.

"Daisuke!"

The thunderous charging footsteps of Konoe echo out as he rumbles by.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Angry tears are drying on his face.

"Calm down!" Matsunaga says while holding onto Daisuke's shoulders.

"If you hit him, you get punished! Don't be fucking stupid!" Jinichi says, holding one arm.

"They're right, you need to stop!" Tsubaki is holding the other arm.

"Get out of the way." Konoe says dangerously as Kaya and Ran hurry along. The three of them move aside as the wall of muscle moves forward and presses a hand against Daisuke's chest, pushing him back effortlessly. "You need to stop. What do you think you're going to do? Are you that eager to get executed? I won't let you."

Konoe has him more or less pinned up against the other wall. The other wall has scraps of paper stuck to the wall as well, but only scraps.

"He... He..." Daisuke looks up at Konoe, eyes pleading but angry.

"Me? I didn't do anything but dispense some justice!" Monokuma laughs. "In fact, you should be thanking me!"

"What? What justice did you...?" Kaya moves forward before spotting the fully covered walls. "What the shit..."

**Tatsuma Daisuke was diagnosed with fibromyalgia! Competing in archery competitions might be impossible for him!**

"...!" Konoe stares back to see it.

All of the papers lining the wall are... all Daisuke's secret. Monokuma filled half the hallway with Daisuke's secret so anyone who walked by there could see it.

"Oh, God. Daisuke..." Shoko covers her mouth.

"...What..." Kaya stares blankly.

"What's this? Does our darling Cyclist not know of the scourge of fibromyalgia? Aren't you in high school? Shouldn't you be learning these things~?"

"...Fibromyalgia is a condition." Shoko explains. As she starts, Daisuke begins to tremble. "It's like chronic pain. Pain, tingling, numbness..."

"That's right! And the poor Scarlet Archer was diagnosed with it just before he got to Hope's Peak! Sometimes he can't even hold his bow right... That's what he told the doctors and the doctors said it's probably fibromyalgia! So rare! So young~ So... Despair-inducing..." Monokuma says it in a loud whisper as if it's just between them. "He kept it from the faculty at Hope's Peak, but what happens when people ask for his medical records...? Who would want someone useless like that representing them? Upupupu..."

"Shut up!" Daisuke rushes forward but Konoe pulls him back. "I'm not useless!"

"No? It's the one thing you're supposed to be good at, but even that... you're not so good at, huh? Isn't something that can't do what it's designed to do considered useless? That's the only word I think that fits!"

"Why are you doing this?" Yuuhi sends an icy look to Monokuma. "What's the point of exposing Tatsuma's secret?"

"Well, how else was I going to punish him?"

"...Punish...?" Kaya flinches. "...E-Execute?!"

Konoe flinches at the word and moves to place himself in front of Monokuma and Daisuke as if he could shield him.

"No, no, no!" Monokuma growls. "I'm talking about destruction of school property!"

"...Huh?"

"It's not really a rule in the handbook, but... some people thought it would be a good idea to burn their secrets! Destroying school property is obviously not allowed! But, I didn't make it a rule so... I decided to do a gentle punishment! It's a slap on the wrist compared to what I could do!"

Daisuke flinches.

"It's... because I burned them...?"

"It's because you burned _yours_..." Monokuma snickers. "Destroying the secrets of people who already revealed them, or the dead... I could let that slide. But trying to hide your secrets by destroying them? Anyone who did that... Well, I'd have to punish them for destroying school property!"

Matsunaga clenches his teeth.

"...Then you exposed Tatsuma's secret to get back at him."

"That's right! But I feel like I gave this speech before...?"

What? What did that mean?

"Fine, we get it. Now go away." Kaya says with a glare.

"Can we take them down?" Tsubaki gives him a scowl.

"Take them down? Why? The cat's already out of the bag, why take it down? ...But... I suppose, if you must, that's fine. Just don't **destroy** them, or I'll have to retaliate. Honestly, destruction of school property is an obvious no-no. But it's my own fault for believing in you, I guess!"

"...I'll kill you." Daisuke says again, darkly calm now.

"Relax~ Isn't that how you start to feel bad? Isn't stress the thing that makes it so much worse...? The pain in your arms, the hands going numb... Fever...?"

Daisuke seethes. How... How did he find out...?!

"Fever...?" Konoe places his hand to Daisuke's forehead. "You're... You're burning up."

"Get out of my way."

"You..." A lightbulb goes off. Daisuke's intermittent bouts with the flu. And... even so he'd been trying to carry him around, up and down stairs when he was injured. "...Even then...?! You... You knew you had it all this time, why didn't you tell me?!"

"I said get out of my way! I'm gonna..."

"Oh? You think so? Well... How about we make it a little interesting!" Monokuma laughs. "Why don't you draw your bow?"

"Stop it, that's not right! He'll be executed!" Ran squeals.

"I'll make an exception! Just this once. If he can hit me with an arrow from the distance of a target in archery... even just graze me... then I'll let you all graduate!"

"What?" Kaya looks like she really can't believe that.

"But... If he misses... then anyone who burned a secret and got punished will have to go without a weapon until the next death! And that means anything that could be a weapon... Bow, knife, sword, club, bat, crowbar, pipe, wrench, even knives to eat with will be a no-no!" He laughs maniacally.

In other words... If Daisuke can hit him, everyone lives no questions asked. But if he misses, Daisuke is defenseless and instantly becomes marked as the next potential victim. With no way to defend himself, aside from his own fists he'd...

"Daisuke, don't."

"You're on."

"Oh, perfect! I love a group exercise in Despair!"

Konoe tries to talk Daisuke out of it, but...

Monokuma moves down the hallway, a distance of 28 meters. Daisuke and the others wait with bated breath on the other side of the hallway.

Although everyone wants to say something... They don't know what to say.

Daisuke assumes his archer's stance while Monokuma waves to provoke him like a target. He pulls an arrow from his quiver and readies his bow. He pulls the bowstring back with expert technique but...

His hand holding the arrow is shaking. Muscle spasms in his hands give way to tingling and numbness, and his shoulders burn and ache dully. He's sweating.

"Daisuke, please. You don't have to do this."

"Shut up! He absolutely does!" Jinichi says loudly. "Win us our freedom!"

"Keep your mouth shut!" Tsubaki stomps on Jinichi's foot. "He's trying to concentrate."

His hand continues to shake as Monokuma continues to wave. Any time you're ready~, he seems to say.

It doesn't have to be a good strike. Or even a clean one. He just... has to hit the mark. Even just a little.

He feels his shoulders burning and he... can no longer feel the arrow in his hand.

He fires.

And it misses.

He misses by a distance of three feet to the left. The arrow strikes the floor and snaps.

Monokuma's mocking laughter is heard before he turns around and disappears down the hallway. Everyone is left in silence.

Shaking with anger, and disappointment in himself... Daisuke flings his bow to the ground and takes off the quiver, arrows clattering out of it when it hits the floor. He couldn't have a weapon. And so...

"Daisuke..." Konoe moves closer to him, but Daisuke breaks off into a sprint, running away from everyone. "Daisuke, come back! Daisuke!"

"..."

Konoe haphazardly picks up the bow and gathers the arrows to hold onto for Daisuke and then runs after him.

"...Fuck." Kaya says quietly under her breath.

"Mizuno." Matsunaga looks to her before pulling out his knife. "Could you hold onto this for me?"

"Huh? Wh... Why?!" Tsubaki takes the knife and trembles.

"...There's something I have to do. I'd like you to keep that safe for me until I ask for it back."

And before waiting for a response, Matsunaga moves out of corridor and slinks away.

"The fuck was that..." Tsubaki sighs and stares at his knife.

"...What a waste of time." Jinichi grumbles. "He really is fucking useless."

"...What?" Shoko turns to him, shocked.

"He had one fucking job and he messed it up! Monokuma might be messed up, but he was right. Tatsuma is fucking useless!"

Both Kaya and Shoko are about to slap him upside the head. But...

The one who hits him, a solid punch to the solar plexus that has him doubling over is... Ran.

Diminutive, bubblegum pink-haired Ran stares hard at him. Her voice now loses most of its happy edge.

"Is that all you know how to do? Criticize people? ...Daisuke's already in a corner and feeling miserable. Why do you have to add insult to injury? Don't you know how that makes people feel? Don't you know how people get when they're desperate? ...What... What they'll resort to...? ...Jinichi, you can be a real ass sometimes."

Ran moves past them and begins pulling the papers with Daisuke's secret down. Some of the paper snags from the staples, but she keeps yanking them down.

As she collects them, her eyes shimmer with angry tears. Daisuke was lucky he had Konoe there to try and find him. If he didn't, she would have gone after him herself. In his position... She didn't want to think about it.

"Seriously, Jinichi. That was mean, even for you. He was... He was trying to help." Tsubaki and Shoko are now helping Ran take down the papers.

"Yeah but... he fucked it up..." Jinichi says with a grunt. Ran's stronger than she looks.

"That's not the point, you dumbass!" Kaya glares at him. "You have no idea how to be a team player, do you?!"

"That's hilarious coming from you!"

"I know! That's why it should be even more obvious you're wrong if I'm the one who has to say it!" Kaya snaps back at him.

"I would wager that Monokuma riled him up on purpose." Yuuhi begins to help the girls take down the papers. "His illness makes it hard to focus as it is. But adding extra stress is a good way to set someone else up for failure."

"...You think he rigged it?"

"Getting inside an opponent's head is a common tactic. They call it... 'psyching them out'... Right?"

"It doesn't matter if he could or couldn't do it." Ran says with fierce determination. "At least he tried. It doesn't matter if winning were a possibility. I'm... I'm just worried about him now."

"Wh... Why?" Jinichi gives her a weird look as he comes to his feet.

"Because if someone wants to hurt him, he can't defend himself that well now."

"I agree. Tatsuma is an easier target this way. Even picking up a weapon in self-defense would be..." Yuuhi pauses.

"But, he's got Konoe. So it's fine." Shoko says simply, refusing to put any more effort into the conversation. "He won't let anything happen to him."

Kaya doesn't talk about the dread she feels. Maybe Shoko's right. Maybe Daisuke's fine and he won't be a target. But... that doesn't mean they're necessarily out of danger. If anything, reconfiguring advantages and disadvantages might shake things up... and might push someone to try something they wouldn't normally try.

"I don't think any of us should be left alone for a while." Kaya says ominously. "It's not safe."

"...Yeah, but it's kind of unenforceable." Tsubaki shrugs. "Besides... sometimes the weak just get picked off."

"Fucking hell, Tsubaki. Really?!" Kaya glares at her.

"I mean in the wild! I..." She grumbles. "I didn't mean us. But that's what... animals do."

"Then it's a good thing we aren't animals with no morals, isn't it." Kaya stares at her with dangerous rage just under the surface.

"...R-Relax... I didn't mean anything by it."

"Can one of you give me a boost? I want to get these down before anyone else sees them." Ran says interjecting.

"...I'll do it." Jinichi huffs angrily before assisting. "What are you going to do with them once you take them down? Monokuma said you'd get in trouble if you destroyed them."

"I'll just put them somewhere. Somewhere no one else goes."

"...Ooh! How about the utility room?" Tsubaki's eyes light up.

"The what?" Kaya frowns.

"The utility room. It's... It's like right by the banquet halls in the back. They keep the tablecloths there, ladders, things like that. You didn't know?"

"Uh, why would I? I don't change the tablecloths."

"...Who does change the tablecloths?"

"Me! Because no one else does!" Tsubaki sighs loudly.

"I should give Daisuke my good luck charm!" Ran suddenly brightens up.

"...Which one?" Jinichi gives her a skeptical look.

"The one that works!"

"So... even you admit that some of them don't work."

"That's not important! I'm gonna go find him once we're done here!"

...

How did Ran suddenly end up the mom friend? Kaya can't help but smile to herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alive: 13  
> Dead: 3
> 
> \- - -
> 
> So continues the daily life! 


	16. Blue and Purple Hyacinths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Mutual Killing Game Final Exam: Rules & Regulations!**  
> 
>
>> 1\. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited and offenders will be punished!  
> 2\. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered  
> 3\. The Body Discovery Announcement will play when 3 or more students discover a dead body  
> 4\. No more than 2 students may be killed by one culprit at a time  
> 5\. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students will be required to participate in the class trial - attendance is mandatory!  
> 6\. If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be punished  
> 7\. If the guilty party is not exposed during the class trial, then everyone but the guilty party will be punished and the blackened will be allowed to graduate!  
> 8\. Certain areas may be marked as restricted areas from 10PM to 7AM - trespassing is strictly prohibited!  
> 9\. Violation of school rules is grounds for immediate punishment!  
> 10\. With minimal restrictions, students are free to come and go as they please!  
> 

_We didn't used to think of ourselves as being fragile._

_I think by the time the second incident happened, we came to realize how truly fragile we were. And that this wasn't just some nightmare. This was real._

_The things we did... they had consequences._

~ ~ ~

By the time Daisuke had made it to the bathroom, he's still shaking. Sometimes he'd feel twinges of pain in his hips, but usually it was all in his shoulders. On bad days, it went right down his arms and he couldn't feel his fingers.

Now... Now they all knew... And...

If there was still a world left out there, no one would want him to represent them, he'd thought. He wasn't sure if that was necessarily true, but he did know that if he had to cut down on his training he'd fall behind. He hadn't even mastered the recurve bow yet to qualify as an Olympic candidate but... if he couldn't hold the bow at all...

There was no future for him.

"Daisuke."

The voice behind him scares him, but... He knows he should have expected Konoe to be there. The bow and quiver of arrows he carries awkwardly settle over his shoulders.

"..."

"...Are you in pain?" Konoe asks, quietly.

"Please, go away."

"No way! I... I can't." He says defiantly. "You... You kept something like that a secret. For years."

"Stop." Daisuke is gripping the sink hard, but he can't really feel it with his nerves on fire. "It's got nothing to do with you..."

"Don't push me away." Konoe clenches his teeth. "How long have you known? How... When did you go to the doctors?!"

"...Just before we got to Hope's Peak, like Monokuma said. You got accepted in, and then so did I but..." Daisuke can't look at him. "Some days it's not bad. Most days I can... do things. But... When I don't sleep, or there's stress..."

"You never said."

"...Ever since we were stuck in the dorms and... Sometimes I can't hold it right it..."

Konoe remembers Daisuke's hands shook before when he had to kill the Mono-men. But that... Had that been because he was afraid? Or... was it his hands themselves...? Had he been feeling the symptoms even then?

"Daisuke, you could have told me that. I... Do your parents know?"

"...Yeah. Yukino too. But no one else."

Was that why she had wanted him to protect Daisuke...?

"Let me check your temperature."

"You already did! I've... I've got a fever. I know that. I..."

"Ebihara might be able to get you some painkillers, or help you find something for the fever. Let's go ask her."

"..." He stares down at the floor.

"...Daisuke... You need to take care of yourself. That's what your sister would want."

"..."

"You had me worried. And to think you were trying to lug me around even with all of that... How much pain were you in when you carried me around? You... You never said. I had no idea. I only made it worse for you, didn't I..."

"..."

But Daisuke isn't listening. All he can do is tremble, and Konoe isn't sure if it's because of his condition or fear.

"...Do you remember when we first met, in middle school? You had that big dream of getting scouted by Hope's Peak, remember? You... kind of inspired me to try so many sports. Like... You were a natural Archer but I had no idea I'd be any good at rugby. You're the whole reason I'm here." He smiles.

"Then... it's my fault you're in this position now? Is that... what you're saying?" Daisuke continues to shake.

Something else that's his fault... Something else he did wrong...

"No! Not at all that's...!" He groans. "That's not what I meant. I mean... You're the whole reason I found my purpose at all. Seeing you so determined... How could I not... How... You had your dream and I really... I wanted to have one too. I wanted to follow you..."

"..."

"Seeing you doubting yourself... That's not the Daisuke I know."

"...You don't know me at all." Daisuke turns to him angrily. "I... I don't have a purpose now! All I've got is a dream that I can't... I can't... I can't do it... I... I'm going to be left by... What else do I have?! Everyone... Everyone might be dead, and I've got nothing to go for... What else do I have?!"

Konoe is struck speechless by Daisuke. He's... never seen him doubt himself like this.

Daisuke was the whole reason he'd wanted to try so many things. To maximize his chances of getting into Hope's Peak. So that he could be there with him... Didn't he know that?

"...You've still got me." Konoe feels his heart flinch as the thought comes to mind. "...Listen... I... There's something I need to say."

"..."

"I don't know if it'll help you understand or... or if I'm only going to add more stress but... I don't want to hide from it anymore. I don't want people like Matsuri to control me anymore. So... I'll tell you."

"Tell me...?" Daisuke's eyes focus on him, hard. "Your secret...?"

"Like I said, I don't know if it'll help you understand but... If nothing else you won't have to worry about Matsuri bossing me around."

With trembling hands he pulls out his letter. It reads, Sakurai Konoe. And... he hands it to Daisuke.

"...?" Daisuke pauses, confused before opening the letter and reading the secret. His eyes widen and he stares hard at Konoe, who is now bright red but refuses to look away. "...What is this?"

"...I know you must have questions but... It's the truth."

"Is this a joke...? Are you... fucking with me?!"

"Wh... No... I'm serious. That's my... That's my secret."

"...You're dating my sister! What the hell, man?!"

"I... I know. It's..." He sighs. "It's not something I'm proud of but... We... Yukino and I don't... We aren't..."

"That doesn't matter! You've been dating her for years! What... Why are you telling me this now?!"

"So that you understand. I... It doesn't matter if you've got fibro-whatever or... Because, if nothing else... I... I still..."

"Stop it. Don't... Don't say that to me. You... You're lying!"

"I'm not lying! I really do love you! That... That's my secret. I've... I've loved you from the start, don't you get it? That's why..." That's why I've been following you all this time, he thinks. That's why he'd wanted to go to Hope's Peak at all... because Daisuke would surely have been there.

"From the beginning?! Now... Now who's been keeping secrets for years...?! Did you... Did... Did you start dating Yukino... just to get close to me?!"

Daisuke's eyes flare up with anger. And... Konoe, clenching his teeth, nods.

"Y-Yeah. I... It was a shitty thing to do. But... Yukino and I we... We never..."

"...You like men, then? It's not just me, right?"

"...Yeah. That's... That's what it is." Konoe nods. "I prefer men to women... that way."

"You ever been with a man then? Is that what 'School Daze' means?"

"I... Well... Yeah. O-Only a few but..."

"How many." Daisuke glares at him. It's not a question. "How many times did you cheat on my sister?"

Konoe can't stand the anger and disgust in Daisuke's eyes but... This is how it was always going to be, wasn't it? ...This is why he... couldn't tell him from the start...

"..." There's an uncomfortable pause. "...Total? Four... Four times. But... kissing or... dates...? ...H-Higher than four. I... I don't know."

"You don't know?! You've... You've just been stringing my sister along as your beard all this time?"

"...Pretty much. Yeah. I know. I'm sorry. I..."

"Jesus, fuck... You're a coward. And a liar! If you're... If you're gay, just be gay! Have some fucking balls! But, no! You had to be a coward about it and... Do you know how much you're going to hurt her?!"

"...!" Konoe looks away, ashamed. Of course he knew. Of course he'd thought about it. Even when he was with Yukino, he'd wanted to tell her. She of all people... She must have known... or suspected? Her boyfriend of so many years... didn't want to touch her. He barely kissed her. But... "...I know."

"...Go away. I can't stand to look at you."

"Daisuke..."

"Just... Just stay the hell away from me!" 

He throws the paper back at Konoe, which ineffectually billows and flutters to the ground instead of making it to Konoe. It lands on the floor and... Konoe doesn't pick it up. 

"..."

This is how this was always going to go.

"What are you doing?! I said leave me the fuck alone! Just... Just looking at you... pisses me off!"

"...Okay." He says quietly. Sadly. "But I'm getting you out of here."

"Wh-?!"

"...I won't let you die. No matter what. I'll get you out of this Final Exam alive. That's... It's what I have to do. If Yukino... If she really did die out there... Then it was her final request of me. I haven't been good to her. But... She asked me to protect you. And the truth is, I want to make sure you live."

"...How dare you... How dare you even say her name after what you've done!"

"I know. I get it. You can hate me. I deserve that. If that's how you feel, we'll say goodbye after we get out of this. But I absolutely won't allow you to die. You've still got a bright future... Even if you can't see it, I do. So... Stay safe until the end. I'll... always be there for you, if you need me."

"..." Daisuke can see Konoe's tears, but they just make him angrier. "...I don't have any need of someone like you!"

"...Alright then." Konoe turns around and begins to leave. "But that doesn't change anything. You're making it out of here alive. So pull yourself together. Keep fighting."

...

He leaves the bathroom in something of a daze and walks towards the atrium. He gets as far as the balcony on the second floor before the tears blur his vision too much to see.

He'd messed it all up. And he'd been messing it up for years. And now that Daisuke saw him for how he really was... All he could see was the pain he'd caused for years. Nothing about this was fair but... Daisuke wasn't wrong to hate him.

That was what made it worse.

It was always going to end this way. Thinking it wouldn't was just his own private delusion.

"Daisuke..."

"Howdy, doodle!" Matsuri's chipper voice is exactly the last thing he wants to hear. She grips his arm with both hands. "How's my favorite homo bodyguard? Ready for your punishment? What's with the bow and arrows, are you cosplaying your boyfriend?"

"..." Without even bothering to look at her, he shoves Matsuri back so hard she rolls back almost five feet. "Stay the hell away from me, you empty bitch."

"Wh-?! Super... Super mean! Oh, I was just going to make you kneel in the hallway for a couple hours but now...!" Matsuri sneers at him. "Now, it's going to be so much worse."

Konoe turns to her, eyes full of tears and anguish, which surprises Matsuri.

"Yeah? You think so? I'd like to see you try!"

"Are you going through a rebellious phase? Don't worry, I'll beat it out of you. Or, would you like Daisuke to know about your sticky dreams...?"

Konoe hates to hear her speak, but more so when it's his name on her lips.

With the fury of an ogre, he reaches forward and picks her up by her shirt collar. She's dangling a few inches off the floor.

"...What would your smart mouth say if I told you I just told him? Hm? Let's hear the witty banter."

"Wh... You did not... You did _not_!" Matsuri grips his hand, but... Seeing him crying, seeing those eyes... It must be true. "How could you?! How could you do this to me?!"

"...To you? I did _this_ to _you_? Haha..." He laughs bitterly. "You really only think about yourself, don't you... Do you have any idea what kind of pain you've caused?!"

"You didn't really tell him... You couldn't have! You're a coward, there's no way!" 

The images of protection, a bodyguard, assured survival... They all fall away.

"Oh, I absolutely did. He knows everything." He chuckles again. "But being called a coward... By someone like you...? Is that your idea of a joke? Because I'm not laughing!"

"Y-You told him everything... Does... Does he know about School Daze...?" She musters a nasty smile. "Oh, I bet you kept that to yourself. Hehe... Yeah... How about I tell him all about that then...?"

"...What do you know about School Daze?" Konoe isn't upset, but he quirks a brow. 

Isn't this just a little too desperate for her...? She... Is she lying?

"I know everything! Absolutely everything!"

"...Then tell me what it is." He calls her bluff. "It's just us. Tell me what you think you know."

"W-Well... i-it's... it's a... a..."

Konoe smiles widely.

"You have no fucking idea what it is, do you? You took my paper and have no fucking idea..." Konoe laughs a mix of pain and relief. "You've got nothing left! You've got nothing on me!"

"Sh-Shut up! I do know! I know it all! I know everything!"

"...Then go ahead and tell me. You're not going to pull something childish like, 'You already know so I don't have to tell you', right? ...No... If you knew what it was, you'd never have been able to keep that a secret. Hah... You're out of moves."

"I... I am not!"

"What is all this yelling?" Shirahase asks ascending the stairs. The first floor offices were still restricted, there was nowhere for her to go that she wouldn't have been able to hear them at the top of the stairs. "Did something happen?"

"...Matsuri doesn't like me free, that's all." Konoe says with a small chuckle.

"Then you told him. Congratulations..." She sees he's shaking and crying and frowns. "I take it, it didn't go well."

"Y-You knew...?!" Matsuri stares at her. Shirahase's mask drops and she trembles.

"You made it quite obvious for everyone at every turn." Shirahase speaks coldly. "But I wasn't speaking to you."

"Stop it!" The feminine voice calls out from the hallway as Ran comes running towards them, Kaya trailing behind them. "Stop it, let her go!"

"Wh...?" Konoe stares at her.

"Let her down! Stop bullying her!" Ran glares hard at Konoe who returns the look.

"Me? Bully _her_? What fantasy world have you been living in? You think _she's_ the victim in all of this?!"

Konoe roughly lets Matsuri down as Ran and he continue to stare daggers at each other. Ran's not exactly short, but Konoe is the tallest of their group.

"What do you call it when two people gang up on one?!"

"...Two?" Shirahase looks around. "Was I included in that count?"

"Of course you were! You athletes always stick together but... But... Matsuri only did what she did because no one was looking out for her."

"No, Matsuri did what Matsuri did because she's an asshole who thinks it's fun to prey on people's weaknesses. I'm the victim here! Or did you forget she gave me a concussion and wrote a message in my blood?!" 

He's shouting and soon Yoshiki has come down from his room on the second floor to see what the commotion is too. 

After Chisato...

After she said she'd been screaming for help but no one heard her, Yoshiki had taken one of the rooms closest to the atrium. At least then he'd be able to hear what was happening.

It... It wouldn't bring Chisato back though.

"...Guys, it's nighttime now, what are you doing."

"What she did was wrong but if you keep excluding her then... Then she'll only get more desperate!"

"I don't actually care what the fuck happens to that psycho and I'm surprised someone like you would!" Konoe is shouting back at her. It's... a little like a mastiff and a chihuahua barking at each other. "She hit me, humilliated me, blackmailed me and you're acting like I'm the guilty party in this! She's lucky she's still alive!"

"..." Ran stares at him hard. 

She's crying. He's crying. For different reasons entirely, but even so.

"Okay, you two. Separate corners." Kaya says pushing in between them. Yoshiki assists, pushing Konoe back further.

"You are mistaken in this matter, Ijishima." Shirahase adds quietly. "Matsuri has only ever acted maliciously. She does not deserve your pity or your defense."

"That's exactly why she deserves it though!" Ran says snapping back loudly. "I... I was like her. I was... I was so mean... But... But I changed! She can too! Don't you believe that?!"

"...I believe you are projecting."

"Even when we're at our worst, we still need people to stand up for us!" Ran says loudly. "Especially when no one else will! Can't... Can't any of you see that...? It's not fair. No one should feel so... alone."

Konoe looks over to see Daisuke, who's been attracted by the noise. But seeing him... Daisuke walks away from the incident.

"Fine. Whatever. Matsuri, you and I are done. I'm not your puppet anymore. Find someone else to be your slave. Ijishima seems willing. Do whatever you want, I don't care. Stay alive, die, whatever. Stay out of my way."

Shirahase shrugs blankly. "Then it would appear this is concluded. We should go to bed."

"...Come on, Matsuri. I'll take you to your room." Ran says with a bright smile.

Is it possible that Matsuri looks... touched? The two of them cast angry glares at everyone else there.

"...What'd I do, though..." Yoshiki frowns.

"Hey. Konoe." Kaya grabs his arm before he leaves. "Did... Are you...?"

"...I don't want to talk about it."

"...Sorry. If there's anything I can do-"

"Find us a way out of this hellhole. I've still got a promise to keep." Konoe says pulling his arm out of her grip.

"...I think we need a teambuilding exercise." Yoshiki nods thoughtfully.

"I agree. Reluctantly." Kaya raises her hands in surrender. "Otherwise we're just going to blow apart."

"What is it you're proposing...?" Shirahase gives a cold stare.

"...Maybe... Maybe a literal team exercise! I'll see what I can do! Keep your schedules free for tomorrow!"

"Yeah. I had so much planned tomorrow. What with being trapped in a madhouse with you bozos. However will I clear my schedule..."

Still... A teambuilding exercise would be...

~ ~ ~

_That was exactly what we needed. But..._

_We didn't know that there was already a tragedy in the works. Even then..._

_One of us was blossoming into Despair. And..._

_Could we have avoided it somehow...? I... I don't know... It hurts too much to consider._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What does a good team exercise look like?
> 
> And will it help at this point in the Killing Game...?


	17. Superstar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A more light-hearted chapter to even out the tense and moody tone of things.
> 
> Also... I really wanted to step it up with the cameos so enjoy some Class 77 and 76 stuff! :D

_The next day..._

_...It... It was all normal, right?_

_I thought for sure, remembering who we were as students would..._

_Would help us remember we were friends..._

~ ~ ~

Today's restricted area(s) - the third floor!

It's barely mid-morning but Ran sits at the banquet hall with a teapot by her on a coaster so that it doesn't scorch the tablecloth. By now everyone's eaten but...

"...Hey." Konoe peeks his head in. "Here you are."

"Oh." Ran looks up at him, momentarily conflicted before continuing with her tea. "...Hi."

"Listen... About last night... Can we talk?"

"Sure."

Konoe sits down at the table next to her as Ran sips her tea.

"I..." He sighs. "I was trying to meditate this morning, but I couldn't focus because... We... We really got into it last night, and... I'm sorry I yelled at you."

Ran looks to him, surprised for a moment.

"I'm sorry I yelled too. I lost my temper."

"...I had a bad day. And I fought with Daisuke. And then Matsuri..." He says with another deep breath. "But I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"Huh? What happened with you and Daisuke? Why were you fighting?"

"..." Konoe looks away. "I got dumped."

"By Kaya?" Ran looks up at him. "Daisuke doesn't have a crush on Kaya, though, does he?" 

Konoe turns back, his blank expression just stares down at her. This girl really has no idea.

"Uh..."

"Well, anyhoo... I'm sure you can win her back. Girls can be weird."

"Yeah, that's not the issue." Konoe shakes his head. "Anyway. I... didn't want to leave it like that. With us angry at each other."

"...If I asked, would you apologize to Matsuri?" She speaks without looking to him.

"You're not serious."

"Why not? What if she apologized? Would you apologize to her then?"

"I think you've forgotten her personality switch was pretty drastic. She wouldn't apologize to anyone for her actions, least of all me."

"..." Ran looks down sadly at her teacup. "I don't think that's true. We were friends, right? We _are_ friends... And we've been through a lot in the last year. So... I think even Matsuri must value our friendships. Even just a bit."

"If you say so. I don't see it going down that way. She might be too far gone."

"Don't say that."

"I'm serious. Matsuri is..." He pauses, to correct himself. "Souma... She's not the type of person who feels remorse, I don't think. You can't get an honest apology out of her because she can't feel the remorse. She might regret that things didn't go better for her, but she wouldn't apologize for any of the harm she inflicted."

"If I talk to her, and I get her to apologize, would you?" Ran looks back to him. "We need to be united in this so... So... Please?"

"...If you think you can, fine. I don't want to be her friend, but... If we can put all of this behind us, then fine."

"Good! Oh! Wait. I'm being rude. Do you want some tea?"

"...What kind is it?"

"I think it's green tea?" She says as she gets him a teacup. "Tsubaki made me some. She said I looked stressed out. She's not wrong, but... I think you could use some destressing too."

"...Yeah, probably." Konoe nods.

Green tea is supposed to be relaxing, anyway.

When he takes a sip, he's expecting a pungent bitter taste but... It's incredibly citrusy. Almost overpowering.

"Well?"

"Why... Why does it taste like orange?" He makes a small face. It's not the flavor he was expecting at all. It's not exactly disgust, but just confusion. "You can't taste the green tea at all."

"I know, right? It's amazing! Tsubaki must've known I can't deal with bitter stuff too much."

"You can't deal with bitter but you can deal with sour?"

"Oh, well, I added sugar to mine."

Are you supposed to add sugar to green tea...? He supposes you can, but that feels like it's... maybe not traditional.

Slowly Tsubaki comes in and nearly does a double take seeing Konoe and Ran sitting there sipping tea.

"Wh... What's going on?!" She gives them a look of confusion.

"What's the matter, Mizuno?"

"...I'm... I'm sorry, I thought Ran was alone. I mean, I left her alone but I started to get a bad feeling so... I got worried so... I mean, it's fine if it's you, you're no killer but..." She says, frazzled. Konoe frowns. "Anyway. How's... the tea?"

"It's really good! You need to show me how you did it!" Ran says with a cheerful laugh.

"Is that really green tea?" Konoe gives her a suspicious look. "Why does it taste like orange?"

"Orange?"

"Yeah. Did you mix the green tea with something?"

"I... I don't think so. I just grabbed what was in the store. Did I grab the wrong kind of tea...?" She looks flustered at her own mistake. "Oh, no! I must've grabbed a blend, I'm sorry! I thought it was regular green tea."

"It's okay! I like this better, it's not bitter at all." Ran laughs. "Did you want some? I drank a lot but there's probably some left?"

"...You're going to ruin your bladder if you drink an entire kettle." Konoe smirks at her.

"Don't talk about my bladder!" She sighs loudly. "Men. So gross. So weird."

"Hey." Tsubaki looks to Konoe. "Could you stay with her for a bit? I need to go find something and I don't really want to leave her by herself, you know? It's not safe."

"Yeah. Sure. No problem." He looks back to Ran. "So... What does it taste like with sugar?"

"Really good, you want some?"

"Yeah, why not. I'm here anyway."

The two exchange a pleasant laugh.

~ ~ ~

Later in the afternoon, Yoshiki, Kaya, and Shirahase have been discussing things together.

"You want all of us to do something together? Do what?"

"Hm... How about pool?" Yoshiki smiles. The class rep is good at these kinds of things. "We could have a pool tournament!"

"...I don't know how to play pool." Kaya shrugs.

"I can teach you. It's not that hard. It's like... A lot of it is geometry and luck!"

"Great. My two big weaknesses. Math and being lucky." She sighs. "Well, whatever, I don't mind getting knocked out in the first round."

"The rec rooms are open this time. It's just the third floor we can't go on. It should be fine." Shirahase nods. "I suppose it would be alright. Although, I expect it would be noisy."

"That's just part of the fun." Yoshiki laughs loudly.

"...A bunch of people watching me suck at a game is not fun, but whatever."

...

It does take some time to find everyone and gather them on the first floor.

Kaya's mood takes a nosedive seeing the atrium again. She'd been avoiding it, taking the elevator or the emergency stairs whenever possible. That was where... Ayumu...

But now there was no trace of a body. No blood. Some of the scratches in the floor were still there but...

"Don't dwell on it. It will only hurt you." Yuuhi says quietly to her when she's started to lag behind everyone. He's as cool and emotionless as always. "Try and put it from your mind from now."

"...Yeah. You're right."

"Alright, show of hands!" Yoshiki says raising his hand. "Who knows how to play pool?"

Daisuke, Konoe, Oboro, Ran, Jinichi, Shoko, and Shirahase raise their hands. The rest of them stare blankly.

"...Well, maybe I won't get knocked out in the first round." Kaya says under her breath.

"Okay. Well, then! Um... Tendo! How about you and I give a practice match!" Yoshiki looks to Oboro, who is abnormally quiet.

"Me?"

"We're gonna do a pool tournament anyway, why not just give everyone the commentary version on how to play?"

"...Alright. If you say so." Oboro sighs, accepting her fate. "Don't cry when you lose."

"That's the spirit! Trash talking!"

"...Then Oboro's been in the spirit for years." Kaya says loudly enough that it gets a few chuckles from the room. Even Oboro is smiling at that.

"Hey. You want to go next?" Konoe smirks over at Daisuke.

"..." Daisuke flat-out ignores him, turning away.

Well. Today is going to be fun.

So much fun...

"Um..." Yoshiki looks around. "Tendo, do you know where the balls are?"

"Excuse me?"

"In nature, when you find a male you-"

"No." Kaya cuts Tsubaki off immediately. "Not a chance. Do not. Denied."

"I... I can't find the billiard balls." Yoshiki is scrambling around the table while the others watch.

"Are you sure they're in here?" Oboro watches him, not helping at all.

"They were last time I checked."

"Then I haven't the foggiest."

"Ask Konoe, he loooooves balls." Matsuri laughs loudly. The oppressive mood settles in again.

"...No one asked you, dwarf." He snaps at her.

"Matsuri... Be nice." Ran chides her gently.

"..."

Yoshiki looks high and low but there's no trace of the billiard balls.

Quickly, he switches his brain to improvisation. Jinichi watches it happen with jealousy.

"Okay! New plan! ...Let's go up to the second floor and play some volleyball!"

"...Volleyball?" Yuuhi quirks a brow. "Do we have the equipment for that?"

"The track has a field in it. It must have... I dunno, some kind of sports thing." Konoe says quietly. "I'll go up ahead and see what I can find."

"I'll go with you." Oboro smiles. "I wasn't much help here after all."

"If you'd wanted to help, you could have actually done something." Shoko sighs and accompanies them, and is followed by Matsunaga.

"Alright, everyone. To the second floor!"

...

"I found a net!" Konoe says in triumph as he comes dragging two volleyball posts connected with a net.

"I found the ball. No jokes please." Matsunaga says quietly as Konoe begins to set up the net.

"We should move the scoreboard up, right?" Oboro looks up at it.

There's a large scoreboard in the middle of the track suspended by cables. It must be for running times...? Or maybe it's for some kind of match that would be held on the astroturf. In any case, they don't really need it, and it's a little too low. It might get hit by the volleyball, knowing them.

"Can we do that?" Jinichi looks around. "Is there a pulley somewhere?"

"It's probably the winch in the back." Daisuke says somberly. "I've seen it a few times when I was running in here."

"Is that... okay for you?" Ran looks to him cautiously.

"Why do you care?" He asks tartly.

"H-Hey... Daisuke..."

"You need to cheer up." Kaya crosses her arms. "Being a grump all day isn't going to do anything except make everyone miserable."

"Sorry to make everyone miserable then."

"Hey..." Konoe says at last, setting up the nets. "Just let it go for now, okay?"

"Alright. There are... Um... Thirteen of us." Yoshiki had started off quite energetic but faded when he recalled the number. "So... How about six people on each team, one person can sit out temporarily. And we can alternate people, like the person out could then go onto the other team?"

"I'll sit out." Daisuke says immediately.

"Hey! No way." Kaya says grabbing him by the arm. "If anyone's sitting out first it's me. So get your ass on the green."

"I've got a disease."

"You're about to have a footprint on your ass if you don't do what I say." She says dangerously.

The sound of the scoreboard going up nearly gives them a heart attack.

"I found the winch." Oboro waves.

"Do you need help?" Matsunaga offers.

"I think I know how to press a button, thank you."

"Fine, I guess I'll just go fuck myself then." He rolls his eyes.

"That'd be lovely, please do." She smiles in his direction.

"Okay, Kaya you're out for now wait on the sidelines. The person who's out can play ref! So... Daisuke, Konoe, Matsuri, Ran, Shirahase, and Jinichi on one side... Everyone else on the other!"

Yuuhi, Shoko, Matsunaga, Yoshiki, Oboro, and Tsubaki end up on the other side of the green.

"Is this gonna be okay? They've got most of the athletes." Shoko frowns.

"Yeah, but their team is full of the ones who get along the least." Oboro smiles. "It should not be that difficult to pick apart their weaknesses."

"...I believe that was done on purpose. To make that side get along better." Yuuhi shrugs. "What do you think, Tachibana."

"Hahaha... No comment!" He says under his breath giving Yuuhi a look that says, 'Don't blow this!'

Kaya chuckles as she watches the class assemble for the game.

It... reminds her of the time they played Class 77.

~ ~ ~

...

Whoever had come up with this bright idea needed to get fired.

Looking at the man in the stupid hat who looks half-drunk, she's even more dubious. Apparently he's the homeroom teacher for Class 77?

"Alright everyone!" Yoshiki says diplomatically with a girl next to him. She's got her nose in a video game. "The class reps here have decided. Since we've got 16 people versus 15, we're going to have 8 people from each team on either side. We'll alternate as we need to."

"...Then, what, we pick people?" Daisuke laughs.

"No. I pick the people!" Yoshiki laughs. Somehow being the class representative has gone to his head. Jinichi is seething with them all there. "I think we should pick a captain first though, right? Someone to call the shots."

"Nidai, I nominate you." The girl, Nanami Chiaki, says without looking up.

A large man in a tracksuit gives a very loud laugh. Oh no, Kaya thinks. He's one of those types.

"In that case, Sakurai. We're counting on you." Yoshiki gives him a thumbs up.

Konoe was an obvious choice. He'd been part of volleyball teams before. In fact, it was hard to find a sport he hadn't tried at this point.

Class 77 sends up their 8 players first... A nurse, a chef, Nidai, some angry looking little blonde girl, a mechanic, some weirdo in a scarf, a girl with huge boobs, and some punk rocker type.

And Class 76 with their 8 - Konoe, Shirahase, Daisuke, Kaya, Matsunaga, Jinichi, Oboro, and Shoko.

Apparently, they were going to lead with their athletes. Kaya sighed. That was fine with her but...

She gives a small wave to Chisato and Ayumu who are clapping and waving. Those two idiots.

...

"Alright. Serving." Konoe takes a deep breath. "Zero-zero."

They were playing to 20? Or something. Kaya would just do whatever was required. 

"Tension mounts as the 76th Class takes the field. Will they be able to use their advantage in strength or will their group fall apart before they get off the ground."

"Mizuno, I'm serving, be quiet." Konoe looks to her.

Why was Zenji filming them...?! Why was Tsubaki narrating...?!

"Serving. Zero-zero." Konoe repeats as he tosses the ball in the air. With expert grace, he leaps into the air and smacks the ball hard over the net.

"I...I-I've got it! I- Waaaah!"

The nurse moves for the ball, and somehow trips, as if on nothing, ungracefully flops onto the angry little girl, knocking her over.

"Get off me you shitty bag of pig barf!"

"Waaa... I fell down..."

Point for Class 76.

"...Holy shit, are we going to win that easily?" Kaya facepalms.

. . .

"It's my turn now, punks! Serving three-two!"

The girl with gigantic boobs serves the ball and smacks it so hard the others have to duck as it zooms by.

"Out." Jinichi says matter-of-factly. "It needs to be in the lines!"

"Shut up! I know that! Lemme try again!"

"Refs, come on. Really?!" Jinichi looks over to Yoshiki and Chiaki who are watching, sort of.

"Just let her try again. One second chance."

"Unbelievable!"

"Coming over." Konoe says tossing the ball her way. She catches it expertly.

"Alright! I'm pumped up now! I'm gonna do it!"

"In the line, please!" Jinichi snaps at her.

"Three-two! Again!"

And... Just like before...

"Out again!" Jinichi glares. "Could you guys get someone who knows how to play?!"

"Shut up! I know how to play. You hit the ball as hard as you can! Everyone knows that!"

"No, that's not at all how you play volleyball!"

"Tch. Whatever."

"No, not whatever. It's called volleyball! Not whack-it-as-hard-as-you-can ball!"

"...Someone want to stop him before he pops a blood vessel?" Shoko rolls her eyes.

. . .

The game continues. And soon Class 77, by some miracle takes the lead. Jinichi is rotated out and replaced with Chisato. Shoko is moved out for Ran.

The girl - Akane - is moved out for some creepy hope type named Komaeda Nagito. And the brat - Saionji something - is moved out for a photographer.

"Alright. Serving... Um... Whatever-whatever." Kaya says boredly as she hits the ball over the net.

There's some impressive back and forth between them, the match is intense now. Chisato is surprisingly good at support, as is Ran.

When Nidai hits the ball, it zooms by and... smacks Daisuke right in the face. The whole team is stunned as the ball lands for their point.

"W-Wait, time out!" Yoshiki says quickly.

Shoko moves in, as does the nurse - Mikan.

Daisuke's nose is bleeding, as he lies on his back, and his face has a large... red circle on it from the ball's impact.

"Daisuke!" Konoe is right at his side. "Are you... Are you okay?"

"That... fucking hurt..." Daisuke grips Konoe's hand. "...Konoe... Take... Take care of Yukino for me... I..."

"Daisuke..."

"I'm... I can't go on..."

"No, don't say that! You're fine! You're... You're gonna make it..."

"I can't... I... Konoe... A... Avenge me..."

"...I will... I... I'll avenge you." Konoe grips his hand tightly. "I promise you."

Zenji's camera is... right there.

"He's not dying, you drama queens." Shoko groans loudly as she helps escort Daisuke to the bench with Mikan right behind her. "God, you men are fucking ridiculous."

Tsubaki is called in to replace Daisuke who sits on the bench with tissues crammed up his nose.

"Sorry about that! No hard feelings!" Nidai calls out loudly.

Konoe gives a subtly enraged smile before calling everyone over.

"...This is how we get revenge. Get the ball as high as possible. Utsumi... Wait for my signal."

"Signal for what?"

"You'll know what to do. I believe in you."

"That... is not a clear instruction?"

...

They're back in the game with the other team in the lead but only by one point.

"...Was he always this ridiculous?" Chisato turns to Kaya. "I remember him being more... put together than this."

"Who fucking knows. He's a guy. Guys are all like that." Kaya shrugs.

The ball is served by the photographer. It goes to Tsubaki, and then to Ran, and Kaya hits it over.

It bounces from Mikan (off of Mikan actually), to the mechanic, and Nidai hits it over.

"Now, as high as you can!" Konoe says.

Tsubaki bumps the ball with her forearms, which heads to Chisato. And then to Matsunaga, who, shoots the ball so high in the air it might touch the ceiling.

"...?!" Kaya watches madness unfold.

Konoe quickly runs to the net and then... charges at Shirahase.

"Now! Boost me!"

Without even understanding what his plan is, Shirahase readies to boost him. Konoe jumps into her hands and the Weightlifter, sends Konoe skywards almost as high as the ball.

"That is... absolutely not safe." Chisato says to no one.

And then, with barely contained fury, Konoe slams the ball down with a fist so fast that...

"...Everyone hit the deck!!" The mechanic cries out as Class 76 literally scatters.

A meteoric volleyball spike rains down as students run in every direction away from the impact site, Mikan falling flat on her face.

The volleyball hits inside the mark but impacts so hard that it pops the ball and leaves a rounded dent in the floor.

With the grace of an action hero, Konoe sticks the landing, huffing and puffing.

Slowly, he stands back to his original height. And clutches his #10 jersey as the fly-half, looking up dramatically. 

"I did it... I've avenged you... Daisuke." He stares hard over at Nidai. "...No hard feelings."

"And... Scene...!" Zenji has been filming it all. "So... So brilliant... So... So touching! A MASTERPIECE!"

Zenji is openly weeping and has started clapping. He just keeps repeating "yes" and "bravo".

Matsuri mimics an audience cheering, which is an odd use of her abilities but it really does sound like the roar of a crowd.

Daisuke claps too and whistles for Konoe who has started to blush sheepishly.

"...Men are fucking idiots." Kaya looks to Tsubaki. 

"Total fucking idiots." She nods.

Even Shoko feels the same. On this they agree.

. . .

There's a short intermission, where they get a new ball.

And Chisato quickly and masterfully fixes the dent in the wooden floor. It seems like it shouldn't be possible, but she is the SHSL Carpenter so...?

Konoe has been switched out for Ayumu.

"Oh my God, guys what is happening?" He laughs as he gets to Chisato and Kaya. "Everyone is bananas."

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Wasn't Konoe more even-keeled than that at the beginning...?" Chisato chuckles.

"And Yuuhi is totally macking it up with the princess!" Ayumu says scandalously.

"What? He is not." Kaya scoffs, already bored.

"Uh, yeah he is. Look!"

Yuuhi and Sonia are speaking together pleasantly. Yuuhi... For once looks happy?

"...What do they even have in common?" Chisato chuckles weakly. "He's still a commoner like us, right?"

"It's because they both speak Spanish, you dweebs." Tsubaki nods appreciatively. "They're speaking in Spanish to each other."

"How can you tell?"

"I heard them. I've been in jungles all over, Mexico, Guatemala, even did some rock climbing in Peru. I know Spanish when I hear it." She says smiling.

"Ah, then that's it. A common bond." Chisato nods.

"I don't imagine he has much occasion to speak Spanish with anyone." Kaya shrugs. "Good for him. It's better than the moody Hopebot Jr. face."

. . .

"So, dude, which one is your type?" Daisuke leans over to Konoe.

"Huh?"

"You know... In Class 77. Are you into... the princess type?" He looks to Sonia. "The loli-brat type..." Saionji. "The clumsy type?" Mikan. "Or the quiet type?" Chiaki.

"Uhh..." Well, if he had to pick someone... Konoe lets his eyes wander which... settle on Nidai... and then there was Tanaka who had a nice build...? He quickly looks back. "I plead the Fifth."

"What? You can't do that!"

"I'm... I'm dating your sister, I can't talk to you about things like this." He's blushing wildly now.

"That's not fair! See, my type..." He leans over more and whispers, eyes glancing over to Pekoyama, the Swordswoman (who is very close to a short mobster type for some reason), and Akane. "...I like the athletic type. You know? I need a strong pair of arms and a nice tight body with some muscle, am I right?"

"..."

Dying on the inside. Very warm. Very, very warm.

. . .

Sonia has been added and Mikan removed.

"Everyone. I have a theory." Nanami Chiaki calls a time-out as she half-heartedly blows a whistle.

The teammates all come over.

"What's up? You got something?" The photographer asks.

"...In a game like this, you should go for the player that has the least amount of experience first."

"...Huh?"

"Rather than going after the big boss, take out the smaller henchmen first. Or... something."

"We do not comprehend your meaning." Sonia smiles brightly.

"That one... The tall girl with the braid." Chiaki steals a glance at Oboro. The others look, but not so discretely. "...As long as she's been on the field, she hasn't moved towards the ball even once."

"...You believe she is not an athletic type. I see. Very well. I hereby call to order a new tactic: Systematic Elimination!"

"...That sounds... scary." The photographer laughs nervously.

"It could work... I think."

The bout starts off easy enough.

There's... a tense moment where Ran and Komaeda have managed to get the ball to lie perfectly still right on the net. It isn't going anywhere, just... Perfectly balanced, immobile.

And though it seems like it might fall over for either side, Ran is chanting on a weird good luck charm while Komaeda smiles blankly at the ball.

A duel of Luck.

...

When the ball comes back into play, Sonia puts Nanami's strategy into play. 

"There! Let our forces combine!" Sonia says dramatically. "Class 77, Ultimate Volleyball Technique: Systematic Elimination!"

The ball raises high in the air and... goes right for Oboro.

Oboro stares at the ball blankly.

It seems to be coming at her in slow motion.

And just when it seems she's going to stand there and do nothing...

With an expertly formed jump that reminds everyone of Konoe, she leaps off of the ground. Oboro is the tallest of the girls, but apparently is also the best jumper in the class.

Sonia's eyes widen in surprise as Oboro's hand swoops down to spike the ball.

"Let the winds and the sky hear my prayer, a loyal servant of the Heavens reaches out for Your glory." She says... as if it's an anime for some reason. "Class 76, Ultimate Volleyball Technique: Tempest Strike, Bolt from the Blue - Thunderstruck!"

If this had been an anime, lightning would have flashed outside with a sudden storm quickly forming.

Everyone is so surprised by her strange words - though Tanaka seems to take them at face value and shrinks back in horror, a worthy opponent?! - that the ball hits inside their mark with a thunderous clap... and bounces away as everyone else is stunned into silence.

Even Class 76 has no idea what to do or say as Oboro lands gracefully with a ten-point landing.

"My Empress!!" Zenji has begun squealing again as he tapes her and she flips her hair. "Beautiful! Masterful! Elegant!"

"...Oh, my..." The cook has sprung a nosebleed.

"Now, now, boys... There's plenty of room at my feet for the both of you." She glances to Sonia. "My apologies, Princess... The Empress rules here."

"...What the fuck is happening anymore?!" Kaya growls. "Why is everyone so fucking weird?!"

. . .

The ball goes back into play and before long Matsunaga is dueling with Tanaka.

Which is fine... Until they're turning volleyball into a tennis match, hitting the ball back and forth between the two of them with leaps and and jumps and expert strikes.

Everyone else just lets them go as they dominate the front lines.

And then...

The two of them somehow end up standing on the volleyball posts facing each other down like the weirdest ninjas anyone has ever seen, ignoring the volleyball entirely.

"Hellspawn Spider, your wicked strikes will be silenced this day!"

"Oh, you challenging me? I'd like to see you try it, poser."

"Were I to unleash my full power this world would surely be reduced to ash..."

"That so? What a shame, cuz there's no way a two-bit twerp like you can beat me the way you are now. Give it a few hundred years and you might even be a challenge."

A volleyball smacks Matsunaga in the head, and then Tanaka, as Kaya launches the ball at them, bouncing it off of them, catching it, and then throwing it again and again.

"Get the fuck off the net, you fucking dumbass nerds! We're trying to play a game here!"

"T-The She-Devil Gorgon of the Eighth Hell...!!"

"The fuck did you call me?!"

"Dude, run. Just fucking run." Matsunaga says desperately. "Run!"

Matsuri mimics a sad trombone as Kaya chases the two of them out of the gym.

~ ~ ~

...

Yeah it's...

It's something like that...

"Hey! Kaya, you're up!" 

Yoshiki laughs and calls to her. He's going to sit out for Kaya to play.

"Alright, alright. Hold your horses... I'm coming."

Kaya groans and stands.

Time to show these idiots who's the boss around here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Exit, pursued by a She-Devil Gorgon]
> 
> Also for reasons I can't say just yet, I'll be assuming that Kizakura was Class 77's homeroom teacher and Yukizome is not a teacher. There's a plot reason for that that I don't want to say for spoilers but...
> 
> ...Also, Shoko probably gushed over all of Tanaka's hamsters and gave them check-ups I'm just saying.


	18. The Calm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Mutual Killing Game Final Exam: Rules & Regulations!**  
> 
>
>> 1\. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited and offenders will be punished!  
> 2\. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered  
> 3\. The Body Discovery Announcement will play when 3 or more students discover a dead body  
> 4\. No more than 2 students may be killed by one culprit at a time  
> 5\. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students will be required to participate in the class trial - attendance is mandatory!  
> 6\. If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be punished  
> 7\. If the guilty party is not exposed during the class trial, then everyone but the guilty party will be punished and the blackened will be allowed to graduate!  
> 8\. Certain areas may be marked as restricted areas from 10PM to 7AM - trespassing is strictly prohibited!  
> 9\. Violation of school rules is grounds for immediate punishment!  
> 10\. With minimal restrictions, students are free to come and go as they please!  
> 

_"People are complicated," Shoko would say. "No one knows how they'll react."_

_And that's what's frightening. Because two people rarely feel the same thing at the same time._

_We're good at mirroring emotions, but..._

_Who knows how another person is really feeling? What they really want? How they really are?_

_That's what makes doubt so powerful._

~ ~ ~

Today's restricted area(s) - The third floor!

"Ebihara, Daisuke needs your help."

"Shut up, I do not! Now let me go! I told you to leave me alone!"

Shoko loads her clothes into a washing machine, watching the bizarre display.

Konoe is literally dragging Daisuke by his arm and pulling him along. As much as Daisuke resists, he probably isn't in the best condition at the moment to be overpowering Konoe to break away.

"...What are you two doing." She stares hard at them.

People have always been confusing for her. In her experience, people are complicated. Animals have much clearer motives and make more sense. Base needs are easier to understand than complex motivation. That and most animals don't hurt others for fun. It's why she likes them better than people.

But these two...

"Daisuke needs some medicine. You're the keeper of the keys, so, what do you think? Can you help?"

"I'm fine!"

"You are not! You've still got a fever and..." Konoe glares at him. "You can hate me all you want, but you need to take care of yourself."

"I do hate you." Daisuke's words cause quite an impact on Konoe. "You're a coward, and I don't need your help."

"..." Shoko watches the two of them. It's.. sad, but kind of funny.

It reminds her of a pet owner trying to put a cat in a cat carrier for a trip to the vet. The owner does it out of love, but the cat will claw and scratch and bite and cry the entire time.

"Hate me when you're feeling better."

"I'll hate you now." Daisuke stares him down. "Don't just do whatever you want, acting like you know best. Get your hands off me."

Shoko rolls her eyes. People. So stupid. They can never just say what they want.

She moves forward and quickly places her hand to Daisuke's forehead which catches him by surprise. Her hands are surprisingly cold, but maybe it's because he's got a fever.

"...You do have a fever. Are you in pain?"

"Of course he's in pain." Konoe growls. "He's got a disease!"

"I wasn't asking you! Go and stand over there, I'm the closest thing to a doctor here so it's doctor-patient confidentiality!"

"Wh-?!"

"Go. Stand. Over. There. Now." Shoko points down the hall. "You can't just overwhelm him with your own selfish feelings. You want him to get better, I get it, but part of what makes him worse is stress and you're stressing him out so get out of his face until he's ready to talk to you!"

"...!!" Konoe has... never been yelled at by Shoko like this. Or anyone, really. 

After some pointed staring, in which Shoko does not back down, Konoe moves further down the hall. Not all the way, but far enough away so that he can't hear them when they talk in low voices.

"...Wish I could do that." Daisuke mumbles.

"No, you don't." She says simply and feels his forehead again. "I wish I had a thermometer but... I'd say it's a pretty high fever."

"I do wish that. I want him to stay away from me."

"Right now, trust is all we have. Do you trust him not to kill you?"

"Wh... Well... Yeah..."

"That's more than most people have in here."

"He's a coward. And a liar."

"...So is everyone else here. Don't you get that? Are you so different? You only told your secret because Monokuma told everyone for you. Why are you being like this with him?"

"..." He turns away. "You wouldn't understand."

"..." She stares hard at him. "I know what love looks like. I'm not stupid."

"...He... He's dating my sister!" He says in an angry whisper.

"People do complicated things. That's why they're people and not animals. He can be dating your sister and still... love you. Even if it's not right or honest, it doesn't mean he doesn't love you. It just means he shouldn't be dating your sister because he doesn't love her that way. Or... Well. I'm assuming. It could be even more complicated than that."

She shakes her head. People have always been hard for her to understand.

"I... I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Or how to feel. He... He's been..."

"...I don't need the details. I have an imagination, and that's bad enough." She says shaking her head. "Well. Not... Not bad like wrong but... I... I don't want pictures or ...you know what I mean. It's not my business. It's not like he's the first guy to fall for another guy, right?"

"...Why does everyone else seem to know...?"

"Huh?"

"...Shirahase... even Kaya. You. Matsuri. Even... Even the person pulling this shit knew. So... Why didn't I?"

"...I don't know. Were you ever looking his way?" She shrugs. "Turn around. I'm... I'm not used to doing this for people. Or boys. So this is going to be awkward."

"What are you going to do?"

"...Well, first you tell me where you feel pain and I see how much. It's like a mobility test." She says simply. "Now turn around. Your legs don't hurt?"

"No. Only from playing volleyball. It's... my hips, my shoulders, and my hands. Sometimes my back."

Daisuke turns around and Shoko takes a deep breath. She apologizes silently to Konoe as she crouches down and grabs a hold of his hips. Konoe seems to react at this, but when he sees she's giving small squeezes here and there to measure his reaction, he relaxes, only just barely.

"Does that hurt?"

"...Yeah. A little. It... Like... top of the pelvis, does that make sense?"

"Yup. See it with dogs sometimes. The joints, right? Usually older dogs get hip things. Never had an animal with fibromyalgia though... Not... that you're an animal."

"...I don't look at him that way. I mean... not really. He... He's good-looking, and I've seen him do sports and shit but... I didn't know he was into guys at all."

"You sure? You two..." She doesn't want to say there were rumors, but... "...You're pretty close."

"We used to be."

"Do you want to be his friend?"

"I can't trust him, Shoko." He says simply. "Not after this."

"Alright, moving up to the back. Tell me when it hurts." She says pressing small places along his back. Up and up she gets minor reactions but when she presses his shoulder blades he practically yelps and Konoe is right over immediately. "Okay, okay... I'm sorry..."

"Fuck..."

"Daisuke."

"Go away! I don't want you here!" He says in an angered snarl.

Konoe backs away sadly and back to about the same position, maybe closer than before.

"You don't have to stop being his friend. Whether you... pursue something... is up to you but you don't have to stop being friends."

"..."

"...Does it hurt more that he hurt your sister, or that he never told you? Sometimes people project their feelings onto other things. Maybe it's easier for you to blame him for cheating than to be angry he never told you how he was feeling all this time?"

"That's not it."

"I'm not saying it is. I'm saying, it's common for people. You also need to ask yourself why he felt he couldn't tell you. And you should also ask yourself why you couldn't tell him. There's plenty of hurt to go around." She reaches her hands up to the back of his neck. "Does this hurt?"

"...Not... as much. It's like... Pulsing? Like... The pain comes from my shoulders and... goes down my arms. And a little up my neck."

"Okay. I'll start with the right arm. Let me see."

"...I didn't want to tell him at all." He says sadly. "Because... Because it meant saying our dream was impossible."

"What dream?"

"...We'd planned to go to university together. Or get scouted by the same school. It's... Why we were working so hard. But... I can't follow him. He's going to leave me behind. He was always going to leave me behind... Ow, fuck! That... That hurts."

"Sorry." She says as she moves down his arm. The real pain goes through his hands, she sees. There was so much pain in his shoulders that goes to his hands... And then no reaction at all with his hands. "Does this hurt?"

"...I don't know. I can't feel it."

"Not at all?"

"Numb."

"...Do you think that's why he didn't tell you, too? He seems determined to make sure you live. He must have the same dream you do, right?"

"I... I guess."

"Being attracted to you would only mean that he'd have to give up that dream. Letting himself be hurt by not saying anything was easier than risking it all. I think you two are very similar."

"Shut up. We are nothing alike!"

"..." Shoko gives him a raised eyebrow and Daisuke is back to pouting. "You're both liars. You're both cowards. You're not dating anyone, so you can't be a cheater. But otherwise, what's the difference?"

"You...!"

"Everyone is a lying coward. Everyone. I haven't told anyone my secret either. Neither has Matsunaga. Or Matsuri. Or Tsubaki. Or Jinichi. Or Yoshiki. And Chisato never told anyone her's before she died. We all have things we don't want to confront. So we lie to ourselves and everyone else, and we tangle ourselves up in our lies. And that's what he did. He didn't want to accept he liked men, so he dated a girl. He didn't want to accept he liked you, so he stayed just close enough to be nearby and never said a word. Those are cowardly things. But... It doesn't make him a bad person."

"...How would you know?"

"Because I've been a bad person. And I didn't like it very much. You've killed people. You didn't want to, but you did. You must know how it feels to be bad and not want to be bad."

"..." He looks away. "You going to tell me your secret?"

"No. Absolutely not. I don't want anyone to know about my secret. It's painful. That's why I keep it to myself." She stares up at him and moves to the left arm. "We all lie. We're lying to ourselves all the time. That we're all getting out of her, that things will be fine... Are you really so different from him? From us?"

"You got a shitty bedside manner, you know that?"

"I don't treat people. I treat animals. When they're hurt, they hide and when you try to help, they whine and claw at you. People are worse. When they're hurt, sometimes they hurt others to feel better. And sometimes they hurt others just because they can. But when people run and hide, or whine and claw, they dress it up with words too. That's what you're doing."

She presses hard on his hand, but there's no reaction.

"...I didn't feel that. Totally numb."

"Is it always numb?"

"No. Most days it's fine. Some days... Just tingles. But... ever since he... He... My secret. I can't... feel it. Just..."

"Stress, then. You need to relax."

"Oh, yeah! I should relax. People are dying, how do you want me to relax, Shoko?!"

"...Don't raise your voice at me." Shoko glares at him.

"...What am I supposed to do... How... am I supposed to feel... If you know so much, you tell me."

"You don't have to feel anything you don't want to. You're not required to be angry. You're not required to forgive him either. There's no right or wrong answer, Daisuke. You can be mad at him and want to punch him but still want to be his friend. Or... more. Whatever."

"I hate him... I... really hate him..."

"And that's fine too. Although, not great for our situation. You can hate him all you want. You're capable of loving him and hating him at the same time. Lots of people do that."

"We're... best friends. That's why it hurts so much. He... He's been lying to me this whole time. Why...? Why couldn't he just tell me? Why did he have to hurt my sister too? I... I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't _want_ to hate anyone..."

"I'd say you're going through a severe flare-up... or that's what they call it, I think. Ideally you'd be resting until you were better, but I don't think that's an option here with all the stress. I'm going to give you some anti-pyretics."

"Wh...?"

"Something to take the fever down. It should also help with the pain. But... It's not a traditional illness you've got. So, I can only really help with symptoms with what I know and what he have."

"...Okay."

"...Have you gotten through to your sister?" Shoko asks, genuinely concerned.

"No. The line is... busy? Disconnected? Who fucking knows... Things must have gotten worse out there. Or..."

"Yeah. I can't get my mom's phone to connect either. I hope she didn't come out here looking for me. I... I don't want someone else getting hurt because of me."

"Someone else?"

"...I told you I was a bad kid. Leave it at that." She says simply. "I don't want to share it unless it really means something."

"Huh? Means what?"

"..." She stares at him. "This is why you couldn't tell your best friend was in love with you. You're fucking clueless."

He can tell she isn't saying it to be mean, but it definitely is mean.

"Thanks Dr. Bitch, appreciate it."

"You're welcome. I prefer Dr. Super Bitch, though." She smiles. "It looks better on the letterhead."

"When we get out of here, I'll get you some monogrammed towels." He rolls his eyes, but he is smiling.

"Hate him, don't hate him, punch him or whatever. Kiss him, I don't know. Like I said, you don't have to feel any particular way. Feelings and emotions don't wait in line and don't follow a schedule. Think it over. Really think on it. And when you're ready, you can tell him all the things you want to say. Konoe's the type who'll listen. And... Regardless, he wants you to live. Do you want him to live?"

"...I don't want him to die. Does that count?"

"...Close enough I guess." Shoko shrugs. "Just... Do him a favor and really figure out what you're feeling. Because you're fucking exhausting. The two of you. Just so fucking stupid."

Shoko moves to turn on the washing machine and then motions for the two of them to follow her.

"Where are we going? The school store's back there."

"I moved some things around. Don't tell anyone, okay?" Shoko gives them a serious look. "Not everything just the... serious stuff."

"...Whatever." Daisuke rolls his eyes.

Shoko takes out a key and covertly opens up one of the lockers.

Lo and behold, she's stockpiled much of the medicine, painkillers, medicine for fevers, and... so many Vitamin C containers.

"...What are you trying to do? Wage war against the common cold?" Daisuke reaches in and picks up one of the Vitamin C containers. It's empty when he shakes it. 

She slaps his hand, but forgets he can't feel it. He gives Shoko a, 'Duh, what are you thinking?' kind of look as he gestures to all of himself, to indicate that he still has a condition that results in numbness.

"Idiot." He says under his breath and she stomps on his foot. He groans audibly.

"Oh, did you feel that? Did you? Want to feel something else?"

"...Ebihara." Konoe pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Right. Fine. Don't insult your doctor, I'm the best you've got, Robin Hood." She reaches in, past the empty Vitamin C containers and pulls out a bottle.

"Is that it...?"

"Yeah. I'm giving you a double dose, but the daily limit is 6 pills. And you can't get these in store anymore, so I hope they take the edge off, because I'm not comfortable giving you more than this honestly." She pours out four pills. "These'll help bring the fever down and give you some relief. If... If it's still not helping or you can't sleep, my room's on this floor."

"...Do I eat something with these or...?"

"Yes. And get something to drink too. You look dehydrated."

"I'll see what the store has."

Daisuke moves with the pills and Shoko closes up the locker and locks it. Konoe moves to follow him but she grabs him.

"Next patient."

"Excuse me?"

"It's time to change your bandages. Leave him be for now."

"But he's..."

"He's half a hallway away. We can do it right in front of the store if you want to keep an eye on him. I need clean bandages anyway."

"..."

It's no use arguing with her when she's like this.

Awkwardly, Konoe sits in front of the school store while Shoko quickly grabs a first aid kit and begins checking on his head wound. He has to sit down because of the height difference.

"Jesus, you look like the biggest saddest puppy." Shoko tries not to laugh, but it's very hard.

"Just don't put a cone on my head." He rolls his eyes.

"The good news is that it's healing up pretty well. I think you're gonna live."

"..." Konoe looks up at her and then away. "Yeah. Well. Here's hoping."

"Maybe don't follow him literally everywhere...? That might help. Give him some space."

"..." Konoe shakes his head but she quickly holds him still so she can wrap his head. "It's not just... He's also sick. And I don't know how to help. And... Right now he can't even hold a weapon. If I don't look after him, he might end up a victim."

"...Well... Your logic on the second part makes some sense. I guess. But you can't take his illness away from him or cure him with the power of love."

"I know that!"

"Then start acting like it!" 

She finishes bandaging him and she moves to throw out the old bandages and wash her hands. When she comes back, he's awkwardly standing there, trying not to be in Daisuke's way when he comes back.

"...I really... hope he doesn't actually hate me. I... never meant to hurt anyone."

"You absolutely did." Shoko gives him a harsh stare and he instantly feels like he wants to hide. "You had a whole bunch of opportunities to make things right, but you didn't. Saying 'I never meant to hurt anyone' is just what cheaters say. It really means, 'I'm sorry you found out I'm a disaster'... Even you know that."

"...Do me a favor, don't become a therapist." He says with a gloomy tone. 

He's not sure how she found out he was cheating, but it was probably Daisuke. That makes it worse somehow.

"Take some responsibility for yourself then."

"I'm... I'm trying. Okay? I can't apologize to... her yet. But... I can keep him safe. That's the least I can do right now."

"Will your girlfriend be mad at you?"

"...She's like Daisuke. Only angrier." He shudders. "If yelling is all that happens I'll be lucky."

"Sounds like you have a type."

"What's yours? Acrobats?"

"..." Shoko flinches at the accusation.

"Gotta say, the tight material does do something for me." He teases her as she starts to turn scarlet. "Tattoos aren't really my thing, but if you're going for the bad guy with great arms thing, I get it."

"You keep your dirty mouth shut..."

"Uh oh, struck a nerve. Imagine it... Matsunaga and Ebihara... riding off into the sunset. On elephants." He snickers. "Maybe he'll come up to you like, 'Dr. Ebihara... are my arms okay...? I think these pythons are sick!' Huh?"

His jovial tone only makes it worse for her until she smiles darkly.

"Alright. Time to commit malpractice."

The laughter quickly dissipates as Daisuke walks back, having a few bottles of water and some kind of snack food with him. Daisuke shoots a quizzical look at both of them, and for a moment he seems like he's going to join in, before realizing he's supposed to be hating Konoe and then walks away.

His room is normally on the third floor, and he had been sharing a space with Konoe but... He picks an empty room close nearby, shuts the door. And locks it.

"..."

"Well. Nothing I can do would've hurt as much as that." Shoko shakes her head. "You really fucked up, man."

"I know, I know! ...You think I haven't said the same thing to myself?"

"No, but if it helps to hear someone else say it: you fucked up."

"It doesn't help."

"Third time's the charm?"

"..." Konoe shakes his head. "Please, don't."

Out of the corner of their eyes they see a gloomy figure approaching with a bright and cheerful one. Of course it's Matsuri and Ran. Ran looks like literal sunshine with the sky becoming dark outside. Matsuri looked like a gloomy stormcloud though.

"...Oh, look. Mary Poppins and Jekyll and Hyde..." Shoko says under her breath.

"Konoe, Matsuri has something she wants to say to you." Ran says placing her hands on Matsuri's shoulders supportively. "Right, Matsuri?"

"I'll bet she does." Konoe says blankly.

"...Not if you're going to be mean." Matsuri turns away.

"Come on, guys. Really? Just..." Ran gives them a stern look. "Can't you guys at least try?"

"..." Konoe takes a deep breath, steeling himself for the worst that he knows will come. "Fine. Go ahead. I'm listening."

"...I'm sorry." Matsuri says quietly.

"What? I didn't hear that."

"Don't be mean." Shoko smacks him in the arm.

"I said I was sorry."

"For what?" Konoe stares down at her. Shoko groans.

"...For hitting you, stealing your secret, blackmail... You know."

"You're right. I do know."

"Konoe, for fuck's sake." Shoko smacks him again. Somehow this girl is really good at smacking people.

"Alright. I forgive you. Don't ever pull that shit again."

"...Isn't yoga all about forgiveness?"

"...Yoga is exercise, not religion." He says before quickly caving. "But... it is about relaxing. And letting go... So... Fine. I accept your apology."

There's almost a spark of sincerity there between the two of them.

"...Good. I'm going to try to find a blanket or something." Ran says before she moves down the hall. "Proud of you two!"

"Yeah, thanks, mom." Konoe shakes his head. When Ran moves out of earshot he stares back to Matsuri. "She's gone, you can stop faking it."

"Konoe, Jesus fuck." Shoko cannot with him.

"Finally, I thought she'd never stop bothering me about it..." Matsuri breathes easily.

"...Never mind. Statement retracted."

"She was just so insistent on me apologizing... to you. You took away my only failsafe. Now I'm back at the bottom of the pecking order..."

"I took back my life, you mean. But if it makes you feel safer, I have no intention of killing you. When we're out you might want to steer clear of Utsumi."

"I know, I know..." Matsuri grumbles. This is... definitely new. "You're really not going to kill me?"

"Not on camera, no. And not in here. If you keep pushing my buttons when we're out of here, that might change."

"...I have no interest in being your friend. Not here. Not now. Not in the future."

"You blew the chance of me considering you a friend after you clubbed me and wrote in my blood and stole my secret off my unconscious body."

"You're so hung up on that!"

"You blackmailed me, I get to be angry!"

The two of them have reached... an amicable hatred. Shoko just watches the display, furrowed brows.

"...If it makes Ran happy, then I'll leave you be. For now." Matsuri says sharply. "Your life's already a disaster, you don't need my help."

"You've never helped anyone but yourself." He returns the tone. "Don't act like you're in the clear. You're really just lucky I don't knock you unconscious and share your secret with everyone, mimic."

There's a very dangerous and fearful look that she gives him. She knows he could if he really wanted to. And from the way she clutches her jacket, he can tell where she's hidden her envelope. Of course she wouldn't leave it lying around for anyone else to find.

"...As far as Ran knows, we've made up. But if you're really not going to kill me..."

"I'm not getting executed for someone like you."

At this Matsuri seems to cheer up exponentially. The gloomy aura has been replaced by malicious mirth.

"In that case, I might just stick by you anyway! Safety in numbers."

"It's like I've gone to hell and this is my punishment..." He cannot believe her. She just... boggles the mind. "Go find Ran. I'm sure your girlfriend misses you."

"Hm..." She seems to consider the jab before redirecting it. "I bet yours misses you~"

"...!"

"And I guess we're a lot alike, because you're lying to yours about what kind of person you are too!"

"...!!"

Matsuri blows a kiss and moves away with quickened steps.

Shoko pats Konoe on the shoulders as he tenses up and then... tries to let it go. And think of pleasant, more relaxing thoughts. Maybe try some meditation... Get back to that...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Paging Dr. Super Bitch. Dr. Super Bitch, you're needed in the burn unit. Thank you.]


	19. Looming Thunderstorm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> **Mutual Killing Game Final Exam: Rules & Regulations!**  
> 
>
>> 1\. Violence against Headmaster Monokuma is strictly prohibited and offenders will be punished!  
> 2\. Anyone who kills a fellow student and becomes "blackened" will graduate, unless they are discovered  
> 3\. The Body Discovery Announcement will play when 3 or more students discover a dead body  
> 4\. No more than 2 students may be killed by one culprit at a time  
> 5\. Once a murder takes place, all surviving students will be required to participate in the class trial - attendance is mandatory!  
> 6\. If the guilty party is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be punished  
> 7\. If the guilty party is not exposed during the class trial, then everyone but the guilty party will be punished and the blackened will be allowed to graduate!  
> 8\. Certain areas may be marked as restricted areas from 10PM to 7AM - trespassing is strictly prohibited!  
> 9\. Violation of school rules is grounds for immediate punishment!  
> 10\. With minimal restrictions, students are free to come and go as they please!  
> 

_Even though we were still divided, we still..._

_Was it too optimistic to think that Yoshiki's plan had worked?_

_I think... Maybe if he'd known that things had already begun even before he thought of his plan... Or if we'd thought to do it before...? But..._

_That's not how it happened. The same night that we had so much fun we..._

_Why did it have to happen this way...?_

~ ~ ~

Today's restricted area(s) - the third floor!

 

The banquet hall is mostly clear except for one person.

Yuuhi. 

Shirahase had been sitting with him for a bit, the two shared some food and then she went off to bed.

It's nearing the end of the day now. The volleyball game had gone on for hours and no one was really sure who had won, except that it had tired most people out. Still.

He smiled to himself. It was fun, if even for a moment, to not think about how things were.

And being with everyone else... Made him homesick.

Sitting there, with his phone in hand. Wondering if he should actually call his father. His mother's family... Probably wouldn't want to hear from him. If they knew he was in trouble, how many of them would care? And being in Okinawa, there was nothing they could do anyway.

But his father was still in Madrid, presumably. If some incident were happening, had he come here...? Had he come to the embassy or the consulate? Was he... in the country looking for him?

Or maybe he was beating down doors in Madrid or beseeching anyone with power to do something.

In his wildest imaginations, Yuuhi imagines his father personally requesting aid from the United Nations.

But... Those are all fantasies. Dramatic melodrama better suited for that faraway country with his father who doesn't call or think about him often... Pushed away from one side of the world to the other, and then pushed away to Hope's Peak.

"You seem troubled." Oboro looks to him quietly. "Trouble sleeping?"

"...Something like that."

"Hm. Me too. Would you like some tea?"

"Wouldn't that keep me awake?"

"I'd make chamomille." She says nicely, for some reason. "I'm not the SHSL Herbalist or anything, but they say it helps you relax. That and lavender. Although I didn't see any lavender tea."

"...Don't trouble yourself on my account."

"I was making some anyway. Today's... festivities... have made me nostalgic. Maybe I want the company."

"..." Yuuhi stares at her. Speaking with people, understanding people... They weren't his strong suit. "Alright. Thank you, Tendo."

"My pleasure."

She says before moving to the kitchen.

That was how the Linguist title had emerged. A desire to connect and an inability to socialize well. Spanish had been easy enough to learn as a native speaker, Japanese a little harder. His words at first were clumsy and not quite right. There were still things he misunderstood. Customs he didn't fully grasp, things he hadn't learned through socialization with his mother's family.

Linguistics had been a way for him to try to understand things more. Understand them better. If he could understand why someone chose a particular word, he'd understand it just a little more. If he could understand where words came from, or how they were supposed to be used, would that make him better at communicating...?

Oboro comes back with two teacups, her teacup is already full, but she pours him a cup.

"Thank you." He says quietly.

"Melancholy?"

"...Yes."

"I thought about Zenji today. I kept expecting him to be there with his camera, telling me I was an Empress ready to smite the world."

"...Smite the world?"

"And you? Did you enjoy the game?"

"Yes. Though volleyball isn't what I'm good at." He admits. 

He's not bad, but he's not good either.

"Language, was it? That's how you got here."

She sips her tea and waits for him to taste his.

"Something like that. A friend of mine was a programmer. She and I met on forums, discussing language and linguistics. But she was interested in something more advanced than phonetics and semantics. She was working on artificial intelligence."

"Ah. I think I heard something about that. Fuji... something...?"

"Yes. I didn't know her real name at that time though."

Yuuhi takes the teacup and drinks. It's still hot and burns his tongue, but it's alright.

"Why were you and the Programmer getting close?" She acts like it's scandalous.

But Yuuhi doesn't take the bait.

"Fujisaki was working on an AI, but part of the problem is that AIs need to communicate to be effective. If you speak to a computer with numbers and code, it's a program. To get a true AI, you need a way for it to speak with you in return. Numbers, codes... Eventually words, eventually spoken word. An AI must be able to not only respond, but also question. To initiate conversation and express thoughts and feelings."

"Sounds intriguing. But dangerous. Like the start of a bad movie and that's how the world ends."

"...Given our current circumstances, I doubt an AI did this." He says weakly before drinking more.

"Drink as much as you like. I made a whole kettle. It's all yours if you want it."

"..."

"What? Can I not be nice?"

"I don't know. You've never done it before." He says and sees the look on her face before he realizes he's said something mean. "...Sorry. I didn't mean to offend."

"I didn't know you were even capable of that. Strange. You're one to watch."

"...Anyway. Fujisaki and I worked together on practical application of language. Designing a language system that the computer would understand, and then forming a bridge between that language and ours... That is why I'm here. And Fujisaki was accepted later; she is younger than me after all. And since then, I imagine she's built up the AI more than before."

"So, that makes you a father to an AI. How does that make you feel?"

"..." The realization strikes him as odd. He's... a father to an AI? And a distant one at that. If anything, it makes him sad. "...I don't see myself as a father to anything."

He pours himself more tea.

"Zenji was like that too. He directed movies and things, and even filmed some of them. But he never allowed himself to be too close to his work. He was afraid it would 'ruin the vision'... So he'd let it all play out how it was supposed to, and then never dwell on it. It was just another thing that happened in his life."

"...I'm sorry."

"Have as much tea as you like. It isn't alcohol, but hopefully it relaxes us both a bit."

"You don't like talking about yourself, do you."

"Why would I? I succeed at anything I put my mind to. One way or another, I work around things and I adapt and get better. That's my true talent."

"And Meteorology?"

"...I like clouds. I wanted to know how they work. Now I do. As much as current science allows."

"But you falsified your way into classes here." It's a question, but it's not phrased like one.

"I was on the verge of a breakthrough. I simply needed a push. And once I came here, I had my breakthrough and I've never been in danger of leaving. As I said, it's my true talent. The weather is just a hobby. And I'm very good at my hobbies."

Spoken like an Empress. He pours himself a third cup.

"Hey, guys. I'm closing up the kitchen is there-" Jinichi says with exhaustion as he comes into the banquet hall. He looks tired, more than usual.

"Waaaaait!" Ran skids to stop. "I need my tea first."

"...?"

"My tea! I saved some in the fridge. I'm gonna heat it up and put it in my thermos, okay?"

"...Fine, but anything you get dirty, you clean." Jinichi grumbles as he sits. "I'm done for today."

"Thank you muchly~"

"...How is she so full of energy all the time." Jinichi grumbles.

"Who knows." Oboro smiles coldly. She doesn't want Jinichi to be there, and Yuuhi sees it.

"...You look tired, Hirano."

"I am tired. Between... Guys. Am I stupid?"

"Yes." Oboro answers it so quickly that Yuuhi is temporarily thrown.

"...You're... not stupid."

"Yes. You are. Very. And dense."

"What Tendo means is-"

"What I mean is that you're inconsiderate, hypercritical, loud, rude, and utterly incompetent at times. You selfishly make situations about yourself and disregard others in thought, word, and deed. And when you aren't getting in the way, you're getting on everyone's nerves."

...

"Tendo. That's going too far."

"...I thought it was something like that. I never seem to get things right. Like the last trial I had no idea what was going on."

"You still have no idea what's going on."

"Yeah, true..." Hirano mumbles. "But I want to be better at this. I want to help. How can I help?"

"You can start with self-reflection. In your room."

"...Try to be more open-minded." Yuuhi says it diplomatically, which is easy considering Oboro is like a cobra at this point. "Think about how other people feel, and if that doesn't work, try to imagine yourself in their position. Sometimes there are things that don't translate. It's... hard sometimes."

"Until then, assess your goals. In private. And don't make your problems ours."

"..." Yuuhi stares at her. Why is she suddenly so nasty? "It takes time. You get better at it, and you learn from your mistakes. If you're taking responsibility for your shortcomings, then it's already a start."

"Alright. I'll try. Thanks for the advice. I really do want to be better at this." He looks at the teakettle. "Can I have a cup of tea?"

"No." Oboro states simply. "I only brought two teacups. And this is for us two."

"...I really don't mind if he has some."

"I do." She says with a dark look on her face. "This tea is not for you. Please go and ask Ran if she'll share some. I don't feel like sharing."

"..."

Jinichi has a hard time deciding if that was normal Oboro or a meaner version, but he gets up to leave all the same. He follows to the kitchen to find Ran.

"That was cruel. Why did you say that to him?"

"Because that is how he speaks to us. If he doesn't like how it feels, he'll fix his tone. Like you said, he needs to imagine how it feels for someone else. I just don't have faith he has that ability."

"Even so, it was too unkind. You should apologize." He drinks more tea.

"You coddle people. You think if you're nice to people, they'll like you. It doesn't always work that way. You let them get away with too much, and you're rewarding bad or unwanted behavior. If you enable him, he won't change."

"I disagree. For all we know, Hirano may have a reason for acting the way he does. Be it personality, or developmental things or social anxiety. More to the point, I believe in justice, not vengeance or retribution. It is one thing to point out uncceptable behavior, and another to do it back at someone. How others treat me... has no bearing on how I should treat them."

"You can say that, but there are simply people who will dislike you. And there are people who are disagreeable by nature. Trying to find the good in them to feel more connected is stupid. It's better to ignore the ones you can't relate to rather than forcing something that isn't there."

"...Your words make sense, but there's no Hope in them."

~ ~ ~

Kaya finds herself consumed by dread, not at their current situation for once. Just for the drama surrounding her... Friends? Was that too out of character for her at this point? To think of them as friends?

"Kaya!" A cheerful blur approaches her and she feels the instinct to run away because it's Ran.

"...Oh no." She murmurs. Sunshine personified runs at her.

"Kaya! Wait!"

"I'm not going walking anymore? What do you want?"

As Ran approaches she quickly stops in front of her.

"Have you seen Daisuke?"

"...No. Ask Konoe."

"...He said Daisuke locked himself in one of the rooms."

To get away from Konoe, probably. Kaya nods quietly.

"Then why did you ask me?"

"Did he come out yet?"

If he did, Konoe would be elated, that was for sure. For both the literal and metaphorical implications.

"Not that I saw. I don't really know which room he picked though."

"Well... I was going to go to bed but... Kaya, if you see him, would you give him something?" She's about to ask her to give whatever she's about to give her to Konoe but... Daisuke would probably avoid him for a while anyway. "...What is it?"

"Here." She hands Kaya a coin on a chain necklace. It's... a little tacky. "It's my good luck charm!"

"...You have lots of those."

"Yeah, but this one is one I know works for sure! It's a good luck charm for escaping disasters."

"Disasters?"

"Once, I nearly got hit by a car but I had my chain so at the last minute, another car runs the red light and gets in the way and then - CRASH - there's an accident and it avoids me completely."

"..."

If the car ran the light and then there was a crash, it meant that Ran had tried to cross the street while cars were still supposed to be driving through... Which meant Ran was being a fucking moron and someone else being a fucking moron saved her.

This girl.

"And on my way to Hope's Peak I was trying to do an even number of steps to get there, and I nearly tripped and almost fell down a manhole, but then I accidentally stepped on a service guy's head and so I didn't fall!"

"..."

So she was being careless and ended up accidentally assaulting a public servant.

This girl.

"Can you give it to Daisuke for me? He... I think he needs good luck in his life."

"...Well, I can't argue with that." She groans. "Give it here. I'll hand it over next time I see him."

"Thanks!"

The discovery of the utility room had been a strange blessing for Kaya. Up until that point, she'd had to make do with warmer clothes or things she found around the Student Center for warmth.

The discovery that there was a linen closet with tablecloths that could be washed and stored made the possibility of improvised blankets a reality.

It was only a shame they were kind of a flimsy material, pretty thin all things considered. Fortunately, they were designed for huge tables, so there was enough material certainly.

"...When did floors get so comfortable though." Kaya mumbles as she wraps the blanket around herself.

"They didn't. I think this place is giving me back problems." Yoshiki, who had just arrived says with a bit of a laugh. Kaya jumps. "Oh. Sorry. I... I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well, you did. Thanks for the heart attack!"

"..." He pauses for a moment. "Sorry."

"What are you doing here?"

"I came looking to see if there were flashlights in here." He says as he starts to check the shelves.

The utility room is something like a weird mix of a boiler room and a storage closet, everything is stark and metal, aside from where the linens are kept. Boxes of things like batteries, cords, wires, and a few odds and ends are scattered on shelves.

There are also ladders, and coils of rope. Nothing that looked like tools though. Those must have been moved all around for protection or used to add the plates and grates on the windows and doors like the wrench...

"What do you need a flashlight for?"

"I don't need one now. But... This was the only place that had power that we saw, right? We must be relying on some kind of generator? Or solar stuff...? I don't know. But if it's a regular generator, it can't last forever. If we all get trapped in the dark around here, it'll be bad news."

"...Yeah, that makes sense. Here, I'll help you look."

"You don't have to."

"It's fine." She waves him off as she checks boxes of things, still with the tablecloth draped around her.

The first box is actually empty. The second has things like pens and batteries and scissors.

The third...

...?

A bunch of papers. She pulls the box over to her. It looked like it had been stored away. And inside...?

Paper after paper of the same thing:

**Matsunaga Sorata's secret identity is the Super High School Level Thief - Hiragumo!**

...

What...?

As Yoshiki rummages through things, Kaya can only stare blankly at the pieces of paper. Some have bits of paper missing around the top center but... There must be at least a hundred sheets. But...

When she flips through them, she can see that it isn't just about Matsunaga.

**Tatsuma Daisuke was diagnosed with fibromyalgia! Competing in archery competitions might be impossible for him!**

...

These were Daisuke's from earlier...? But what are they doing here?

It's then that she remembers, Ran had said she was going to put them in here. So... Ran had put Daisuke's papers away in here so they wouldn't be looked at. Then...

Was this actually Matsunaga's secret...?

"You find anything, K... Nishikado?" Yoshiki asks.

She immediately places the papers all back in the box and puts them away. They are not her business, and she is not getting involved.

"...Not flashlights, no."

"Hm... Maybe they have some at the school store. Even just candles would be fine. Maybe a bit old school, though. At least there are batteries in here, just in case."

"Yeah, I guess so. You can always check it out?"

"...Hey... Uh... Kaya... Nishikado."

"You can call me Kaya, I don't care." She shrugs.

"...It's... Kogure. Chisato, I mean. She... She had a crush on me, didn't she."

Kaya isn't expecting this.

Yoshiki, who had been their fearless leader before this, probably the most attractive boy in their class... He looked much more gaunt now, more anxious. The bombing had done something to him. The deaths of the student council members, and being thrust into the position of Secretary had done something to him.

This... was a man who was more nervous than before.

And yet... Chisato had liked him. That was obvious. Chisato had a thing for bookish guys, and student council types. She'd even had a crush on Munakata. Yoshiki was more in her league though. And in her class.

"..." Kaya isn't really sure what to say, or how to say it but... "...Yeah. She did. She thought you were good-looking and nice. She really admired the way you kept the class going."

"...She must be really mad at me. Wherever she is." Yoshiki frowns. "I voted for her in the class trial. And... And I can't keep people from hurting each other now."

"It's not your fault everyone flipped out. And Chisato's not the type to hold grudges." She says quickly. "She wasn't. I mean. At least, not with you."

"Those things she said. They weren't true. They were just... She was scared, I think."

"...She's not wrong. It should have been me." Kaya says the words sadly. She's shaking. "Ayumu already had the idea to murder someone to get out. He went out of his way to invite Chisato somewhere to talk to her, and left me out of it. It... It should have been me."

"That's not true."

"It is true!" She's yelling now, but can't control her own volume as the tears come forth. "I... I said... I said it to everyone... that if anyone was looking to kill anyone, they should come after me. 'Come get some!', I said. But Ayumu... He picked Chisato. And then Chisato fought back and now she's gone too..."

"You can't blame yourself for that. She... She did make a decision to kill him. And Ayumu made a choice too." Yoshiki can see it's bothering her. And he understands. More than most. "It's not your fault any more than it's mine for not being able to keep people from fighting or giving into the fighting. That's what you said, right? It wasn't my fault? So how is this your fault?"

"...If Ayumu had just... attacked me. Then... Then..."

"Then you might have fought back. No. You _definitely_ would have fought back. You might have even killed him. And then you would have been... e-executed."

"...My best friend killed my other best friend. And... Chisato... hated me. She... She hated me. She thought I deserved to die more than her. Because I have no family who would care if I died. And... no friends. And..."

"You do have friends. You said so yourself. And Chisato and Ayumu aren't your only friends." Yoshiki gives a weak smile. "I've always considered you to be a friend. And I know the others have too. At... At least most of them."

"..."

She lets the words settle. And wipes her face with the tablecloth.

"Don't give up hope, Nishikado. Believe in us. Okay?"

"...I'm trying. You all are just... so damn stupid." She says with a flimsy smile, but it actually makes Yoshiki laugh. He does look good when he laughs. Chisato certainly had a refined taste in men. "And I don't blame you. Our group has issues. There's no way you can keep everyone in check at all times."

"No. I know but... I feel like I've been in a daze since this all started. I still get nightmares and flashbacks and... sometimes I just sit in my room all day and wait for it all to be over. I can't get in touch with my folks, or my bosses... The police aren't around and... Sakakura can't help us after all."

"...That doesn't mean it's your fault."

"It is my fault! You should blame me! I... I'm the class representative. Keeping you all safe is my job. But... I'm failing. And there's no clear leader in the class. Even Hirano... He isn't stepping up because no one wants to be the one failing. But that should be my job, I should be the one taking command."

"You survived an explosion and the apocalypse. Give yourself a little credit. And... And your volleyball thing worked really well! Even Daisuke and Konoe were talking to each other, sort of. And no one was nastier than usual except Oboro but that's just her personality!"

"..." Yoshiki stares at her. Blank. Just... Empty. "You're trying to cheer me up?"

"I'm not great at peptalks. You might want to ask Yuuhi. He's got the best hope speeches."

"...Chisato told me what kind of person you are once." He laughs. "She said something like, 'Kaya's mean because she likes people too much and she feels things too much. She pushes everyone away because she can't stand losing a friend.' ...She said other things about you too."

"..." Chisato had... praised her? If that could be called praise. It was more like a Shoko-compliment, backhanded and well-intentioned. "...What did she say?"

"She said you sacrificed a lot, that you didn't have much in the way of family to support you... And that it only makes you fight harder to find something that's yours. I'll admit, at the time, I was skeptical because you seemed so..."

"Bitchy."

"Prickly." He corrects her, gently. "But she was right. Chisato didn't hate you. Chisato was scared. And lonely. And desperate. Maybe she picked it up from you... Pushing people away so that she wouldn't lose a friend. Maybe she wanted you to hate her so you wouldn't feel guilty...?"

"...."

"I don't know if that's true. That's just how I like to imagine her. Chisato..." He's... actually blushing? Did Yoshiki like Chisato...? "...She was the kind of person who liked people a little too much to be hanging out with you - no offense."

"Chisato did have a higher bullshit tolerance than I do. That's for sure. You're about nearing the limit though."

"I wish things had been different. There's a lot... I wanted to say to her. And there's one thing I wanted to say to you, Nishikado."

"...Huh? To me?"

"...I read your secret. It wasn't right. And I'm sorry. I should've said so earlier. But my curiosity got the better of me. Forgive me."

"Oh. Well... Um..." Yoshiki isn't giving her the scorn she would have expected, so she really isn't sure how to react. "That's... I did put it out there. It's fine."

"What I mean is, you went through a lot all by yourself. You must have felt very lonely. And it was a hard road. But you were strong enough to get through it. And strong enough to tell everyone, in your own way. I wanted to say I admire you. You've always had a courage that I lacked."

"If you confess your love to me, I will knock your teeth in."

"...That's not what I was leading to." He laughs a bit too much. It's not that funny of an idea! "I just meant you're more of a leader and a boss than I am. You would have been a better class rep. But since it is my job, you make me want to do things better. That's why I asked you to help. No one gets through to them better than you do."

"Again. Love confession. No teeth."

"You're really not my type, I'm sorry. I'm..." He pauses, not sure how to say it. "I prefer..."

"Oh my God, if you're going to turn into Konoe I will flip my shit."

"...What does that mean?" Genuine confusion.

"...Never mind, continue."

"I prefer more... quiet girls like... like Chisato or Utsumi... Although... Utsumi is a little frightening, lately."

"...Tell me about it."

The sound of footsteps catches them both off guard as the door opens.

"Oh, Jesus! You scared the shit out of me..." Tsubaki visibly leaps back after having seen them. "What are you guys doing?"

"Just talking."

"...Just talking...?" Tsubaki gives them a skeptical look. "That sounds like the kind of thing two people who were just making out would say."

"Yes, Tsubaki. I decided I would like to make out with a guy my best friend liked in the middle of a twisted dystopian plot set up by a murder bear. And I decided to do it with a tablecloth wrapped around myself because tablecloths secretly turn me on."

"..." Yoshiki turns bright pink. "Chisato... liked me?"

"...Your tablecloth fetish is none of my business." Tsubaki laughs nervously. "As long as you didn't spoil them for the rest of us."

"Ew. Don't be weird." Kaya frowns.

Tsubaki moves over to the linens to grab a tablecloth and then finds herself staring at the coils of rope. Confused. Pensive?

"What's wrong?"

"Why's there rope here...? Isn't that dangerous?" Tsubaki looks to them.

"As far as I know, most people don't go in here. That's what you said." Kaya can understand her fear but... "We could move them somewhere, but I dunno where."

"Rope and ladders... Maybe scaffolding? They might've used them to put the grates up. Maybe they planned on using them to board up the rest of the windows... Before everything happened." Yoshiki sighs. "Shit was getting bad out there, right?"

"I guess. It does look sturdy. I used to have to do some climbing, like rocks and trees, canopies, mountain ranges... Things like that. They look like they'd hold a lot. Still, not a good idea to leave it around. Maybe don't tell the others about it?" Tsubaki gives a weak smile and takes a tablecloth. "Well, I'm on the first floor if anyone needs me."

"Wait, Tsubaki... Before you go, there's something I want to ask you." Yoshiki says quietly.

"...What? You make it sound scary."

"It's more I wanted to get your opinion on something. Why... Why do you think Monokuma is doing this...?"

"Huh?"

"Having us kill each other. Having us doubt each other. He says his goal is Despair but... Why us? What... What did we do...?"

"...I get the feeling it wasn't planned." Kaya shrugs. "Otherwise why would he make such a big deal about us being uninvited guests? Or if people were going to board up the windows, why not do that? Instead we've got creeps outside 24/7 keeping us locked in so..."

"Maybe that's just the way Monokuma is." Tsubaki shrugs, holding onto the tablecloth tightly. "Some people are just given to strange things. Animals too. But I think Monokuma must be animatronic or something. Which means there's a person."

"...But... Motives and... rules... restricted areas...?"

"Well, if you're that curious why not get it right from the bear's mouth?" Monokuma appears and the three of them nearly leap back in shock.

"There you are."

"Here I am!" Monokuma laughs. "But Mister Secretary asks a good question... Or is it a bad one? I don't remember. The truth is... the Final Exam is all about growing up, right?"

"Huh?"

"Growing up. Growing together. You've been together for three years and you've already learned so much more in these last few days here than you have in years! Doesn't that make you sad? Isn't that just a shame...? All that wasted youth!"

He wasn't wrong, in some ways. Learning about Matsuri. Seeing Shirahase's true side, regardless of whatever it was. Daisuke and Konoe. Matsunaga's secret...? Yuuhi's hope and his family. Yoshiki and Chisato's feelings for each other... And... Ayumu's disease.

Not to mention discovering she really did care for these people. That had been a surprise, even for her.

Three years together, and they'd learned next to nothing about each other until this all started.

"What's your point?"

"Friendship surpasses even the veil of death! Classmates remember each other fondly, memories scatter like falling leaves... And you're still going to rip each other to bloody shreds! Isn't that so tragic?! So... much... Despair."

"...Fuck, not this again."

"Bringing you together, only to pull you apart. Entropy~ Despair~ Love~ Homo side characters~ Who doesn't enjoy a good tearjerker...? And if you entertain me while I wait... Then that's fine too!"

"...Wait? Wait for what?" Tsubaki frowns.

"You small fries don't have to worry about that. It's got nothing to do with you. You're just some unlucky students who happened to get caught in the crossfire of a very Despair-inducing incident of my own design... And since it doesn't concern you... Telling you doesn't do you any good!"

"What else are you planning?" Yoshiki is horrified.

"I just said, nothing to do with you. Or do you need more encouragement of your own...?"

"No." Kaya says flatly.

"The truth is, no matter how much you lie to yourselves, no matter how friendly you get... Someone always pulls away. Because only one of you can win! And because only one of you can win, you need to pick a good target and pick a good way to do it!"

"Shut up, that's horrible!"

"That's the way of the world, you know that better than anyone. Use people until they have no more use. Cut them away. In here, friend against friend is irrelevant... It's just victim versus victim. Pretending you're friends... Aren't you all just killers waiting to strike? I can't wait to see it~"

Monokuma's singsongy voice echoes with cruelty before he leaves.

"That was..." Tsubaki trembles. "Weird."

"Y-Yeah. But... He didn't give us another motive. So..." Yoshiki says conspiratorially, as if Monokuma could still be listening in. "Let's not press our luck."

"Let's just head to bed then."

"Yeah. Um..." Yoshiki pauses. "Lock your doors. Just... Just in case?"

Not a bad idea...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More pun names:
> 
> Yuuhi in Japanese means "setting sun", which was made on purpose so he could be seen as more Western for the Land of the Rising Sun. Some of the etymology for "Spain" suggests "western land" or "land of the sun"... so it made sense to have him be half-Spanish. That and I can speak Spanish if it ever came to that.
> 
> Tendo Oboro is a fun name; "Tendo" can mean "heavenly road", "kingdom of heaven", or "child of heaven" so it sort of gives her a more... goddess kind of feel. The name Oboro can mean "hazy", implying she's maybe a little off. But linking her to the sky and a weather condition sort of gives her a more Meteorologist feel.
> 
> The name Ran is another favorite of mine, since although it can be "orchid", there's another character in Japanese "ran" that means "chaos"... tying her to the idea of luck, especially since her luck seems dubious.


	20. I Need to Help You Out... But at the Same Time...

_That night... morning..._

_I don't even know if I can really talk about it._

_The thought of it even just..._

~ ~ ~

Konoe sits out in the hallway, fast asleep in the lotus position up against Daisuke's door.

Like the world's saddest dog, he sits there with the bow and arrows on his back, snoring loudly up against the door. His goal had been to protect Daisuke in case anyone tried to get at him while he couldn't hold a weapon. In reality, he was being a nuisance, and even though he knew it, he couldn't stop himself.

Suddenly, the door opens up and thumps into him, sending him tipping forward.

A puzzled Daisuke, half-asleep stares at him as he scrambles to his feet.

"What the fuck are you doing...?" He croaks out, annoyed.

"Wh...? Are you okay?!"

"I have to go to the bathroom. Move."

Daisuke trudges past him, but Konoe is grabbing up his things to follow.

"Wait for me."

"I don't need an escort, I'm not a child. And go to your own room, quit stalking me."

"..." Konoe wants to respond but Daisuke scratches himself inelegantly and begins walking away.

"...You're still following me."

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Annoyed. Betrayed."

"I meant your hands are they...? Is... Is there something I can do?"

Daisuke abruptly stops, anger surging him awake before he suddenly turns and stomps up to Konoe.

"I have a disease. Okay. Fucking deal with it. I didn't ask for it, and it's not going to go away just because you want it to. Okay?! I've had it for over three years, it fucking sucks, you're not fucking helping. And it doesn't matter what I do or don't do, it doesn't have a cure. You think I don't know how to deal with it? You think I wouldn't know better than you how to deal with it?! Because you only found out about it days ago and I've had it for years. You need to stop babying me and acting like somehow I was too stupid to have been doing this one simple thing that would have cured all my problems and fucking... Just... Let me be angry at you in peace, you know?!"

"..."

"..."

The two stare at each other, Konoe silenced immediately by the words. There's... a lot to take in there.

"I don't want to see you in pain..."

"And I do?! You freaking out is not helping me. You're not going to find the cure for me in here. And I don't even want you around me, so just... Please just leave me the fuck alone already!"

"I can't do that. Not... Not while you're still in danger." He says seriously. "If that's what you want, I'll... I'll go away after we're safe and out of here. Sorry..."

"Then I just gotta put up with you until then, is that it?" Daisuke scoffs. "Fine. Stay out of sight then."

"..."

And so they walk.

"What are you two yelling about?" Matsuri's half-asleep voice calls out from the hallway. "Are you deciding who tops and who bottoms?"

"Great. The other worst thing that could have happened is here." Daisuke pushes past her.

"...What's his deal?"

"..." Konoe looks to her. "Why are you awake?"

"Because two turtledoves wouldn't shut up, who do you think that was?"

"...Sorry." Maybe.

As Konoe hurries after, the sun is just barely starting to rise.

Matsuri turns around and...

"What, what, what? Looks like trouble~" Her tone immediately turns jovial as she spies something out the window.

"What is she..." Daisuke looks to where she's looking and...

bing Bing BIng BING

"A body has been discovered!-"

The announcement plays as Daisuke physically recoils from the window and doesn't stop Konoe when he holds onto him.

Matsuri leans in close to see.

There's... some kind of body... attached to some kind of rope in the window. The body swings back and forth, just a bit until...

It starts to go up?

"Suspicious! Super suspicious!" Matsuri laughs.

Up the body goes, but she can't get a good look in the poor lighting until... The rope seems to snap, and the body plummets down from outside and onto the pavement below.

Daisuke hides his face in Konoe's shirt, shaking.

"...A dead body...?" Konoe says to himself. "...Does... Does that mean... a murder?"

"Ugh, so boring, how can we figure out what happened if it went down outside on the ground level... This sucks..."

"You three!" The voice comes out from the hallway as Shirahase appears. "...You're all alive?"

"...Last I checked? Want to feel my pulse?" Matsuri chuckles suggestively.

"...Where's everyone else?" Konoe looks to her but she shrugs. "...We need to get everyone. Right now."

"Me and big lady can go somewhere~" Matsuri smiles.

"No. I'm... Not with him." Daisuke pushes off of Konoe who would look hurt, but there's more going on.

"...Fine. Utsumi, go with Daisuke. Please. Keep him safe."

"Of course. We'll see who's on the second floor."

"Then me and crazy will go to the first." Konoe is about to leave before Matsuri latches onto his arm annoyingly.

"A date with my darling, dreams do come true!"

"...You'd better not be guilty of anything this time."

"Ssh, don't spoil the mood. Let it wash over you."

"Fuck off and start running."

~ ~ ~

After gathering everyone or... most of everyone...

"...We're missing people." Yoshiki says nervously, looking around. By now it's a little past six in the morning.

"Who are we missing..." Oboro looks around counting. "Rivera, Ran, Shoko, Hirano, and Kaya?"

Their search hadn't actually been so successful.

Yoshiki, Oboro, Matsunaga, Konoe, Daisuke, Shirahase, Tsubaki, and Matsuri were gathered. They were still missing five.

"This is bad. This is so bad..." Tsubaki trembles.

"Before we waste time spiraling we should-"

"There you guys are!" Kaya, with dark circles under her eyes, storms over. "What happened?!"

"Where were you?"

"Asleep! And then some idiot started pounding on my door. And _then_ when I went to figure out who that was they were gone."

"...Sorry, that might've been one of us." Konoe says bashfully. "We just went around banging on doors to wake people up."

"Was there..." Kaya looks at them seriously. "Did...? Was he right?"

"A murder must have happened." Oboro shrugs. "The Body Discovery Announcement sounded."

"We still don't know what happened." Matsunaga says quickly. He's got his hand wrapped in some bandages. It looks like he hurt himself. "Let's figure that out first."

"Was... Was who right?" Tsubaki looks to Kaya.

"Monokuma. He showed up and told me something had happened and then was a dick about it."

"We're wasting time. We need to find the body." Yoshiki speaks with great determination.

"Actually, I'd like to search more carefully." Oboro says quickly. "Tatsuma, Sakurai, come with me."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because we are missing people. And if one is a killer, we cannot have them out there disposing of evidence."

"Yeah, but why us?" Daisuke glares over to Konoe.

"Because you are the strongest ones here, aside from Shirahase. And I may need your assistance. Let us go."

Without waiting for a response, she moves up towards the second floor again.

"There she goes, Her Majesty has spoken!" Matsuri laughs.

"Geez, wait up!" Konoe runs and Daisuke follows, a bit behind.

"I'm going too." Kaya says quickly and her pace is quite a bit faster than the others, even reaching up to Oboro.

"You?"

"I'm faster. If you need to chase someone down, I can do it."

"...No time to argue then."

...

"Then what do we do?" Matsunaga looks to them.

"We should try to get outside. Or... Find the others. Maybe both."

"Where's Shoko?" Tsubaki looks around nervously. "And Ran?"

"...Hirano is another problem." Shirahase nods.

"Yuuhi can take care of himself. Unless he's the killer this time~" Matsuri laughs.

"Let's just go. I need to speak with Monokuma." Yoshiki says as they move further along.

~ ~ ~

Shoko sighs wearily. Someone had been pounding on her door but hadn't waited for a response. Now that she was awake, it was a good a time as any to do laundry.

She quietly turns the knob as she sees three... No, four people coming right for her.

"Shoko!" Daisuke calls out to her.

Shoko gives him a puzzled look as Oboro runs right past her.

"What's going on?"

Daisuke stops running but Kaya is following Oboro.

"There... A body..." Daisuke is a little out of breath as he pants, running in place.

"What?! No way!"

"You didn't hear the announcement?!"

"I... I must've slept through it...! Who was it?!"

"Not now! We have things to do!"

Oboro's command booms through the hallway.

"Wait, but what about the other rooms?" They'd already passed some of the other doors without bothering to look inside, including the school store.

But Oboro isn't listening to Konoe.

Instead they run their way past, and Oboro doesn't respond. Shoko lags a bit behind everyone, but Oboro is surprisingly capable when she puts her mind to it. Kaya only falls behind when she stops to open up doors and give a small peek inside, but Oboro ignores everything else as she runs.

"Where is she going?" Shoko looks around. "Is she hunting for something?"

"Hunting...?"

"She's like a beagle." 

And when they do decide on a room... It's... the track?

She throws the doors openly immediately and rushes inside, her long braid trailing behind her.

"If anyone's hiding in here, show yourselves now!" She announces before letting out a pained gasp.

"Find something?"

"Tatsuma, come quickly!"

Daisuke flinches and then follows in.

From a consierable distance away, the scoreboard is slowly beginning to rise. Upwards and upwards at... a glacial pace.

But what's worrying is the long line of rope that's tied onto the scoreboard as it rises. And it's worrying because that line is attached to a noose attached to...

Yuuhi?!

A noose attached to the scoreboard is tied around Yuuhi's neck.

He's slumped against a crate of balls and gym equipment in a sitting position, but the noose is slowly pulling taut against his neck as the scoreboard rises from the winch.

His head is drooped down but with the scoreboard rising...

Kaya is so stunned by what she sees, she's not sure how to react.

"Yuuhi!" Daisuke almost begins to run.

"Wait, there isn't time. The five us proves he isn't dead, but he might be by the time we get there!" Is the track actually that far away from where they are? But... No one wants to question it. "Tatsuma, shoot the rope up there."

"The rope...?"

The rope that attaches the noose to the scorboard. If he can hit it, the arrow will very surely cut the rope and drop Yuuhi before there's any permanent damage."

"I... I can't... I..."

Oboro pulls the bow off of Konoe and the arrows, and then hands them to him. "Please, you must try!"

"He can't hold weapons!" Kaya glares at her. "That was Monokuma's punishment!"

"No, as was explained to me, he cannot use a weapon **until a death occurred** ...and the Body Discovery Announcement played so, it must be fine!" 

Oboro's tone is hasty and rushed, but with Yuuhi's life seconds away from possible death, who wouldn't be?

"But..." 

Daisuke takes a deep breath. It won't do to argue, especially when every second they waste leads to Yuuhi actually... Actually... dying...

"Daisuke...!" 

Kaya readies to sprint towards him before Daisuke readies his bow. No... Monokuma would have punished him by now if it were a violation of school rules. Right?

His form is excellent with the longbw. If it weren't tense and scary, it'd be kind of... Inspirational, is maybe the right word.

The shot lines up, he judges and as he holds the arrow... But...

He can feel his arms start to spasm. The numbness in his hands make him have to line up the shot multiple times but once he feels he'd done it... 

He lets fire the arrow. 

It bucks too far to right and his arrow punchtures one of the signs for displaying the time. The glass display shatters on impact.

He seethes and Kaya runs, time is running out and Yuuhi's being pulled up closer to a deady level by the winch, now in an almost standing position. A little more and he'll be off the ground and...!

"Give me that!" Oboro shouts angrily and takes the bow and arrows, pulling one from the quiver before letting the rest drop.

In mastery no one has ever seen before, Oboro lines up her shot beautifully with the arrow. No hint of fear or that she'll miss. Just a beautiful form and she fires the arrow. A difficult shot at such a distance but...

Before the noose can strangle Yuuhi, her arrow cuts the rope and Yuuhi limply goes face first into the astroturf.

Kaya is still running and Oboro thrusts the bow and quiver back into Daisuke's hands with the nastiest glare she can muster.

"Useless." She hisses under her breath.

Daisuke stares blankly ahead and doesn't even react when Konoe touches his arm, or even when he pulls him into a one-armed embrace and sort of smooths out his hair comfortingly.

"Yuuhi!" Shoko calls as she trails behind Oboro and Kaya who reach him first.

When they get there, Yuuhi is still unresponsive.

~ ~ ~

By the time they're able to rouse Yuuhi, he's groggy and out of it and Konoe practically has to carry him down the hallway to where the rest of the group is supposed to meet up.

"What happened?!" Yoshiki practically screams it as Yuuhi tries to keep himself upright.

"I... don't know. I... fell asleep?"

"..." Matsuri stares in utter horror seeing them return with Shoko.

"...What's wrong?" Konoe gives her a confused look of disdain.

She doesn't answer, but instead starts to shake violently.

They'd all been gathered, most of the stragglers had missed the announcement... Except one.

"...Oh, no." Jinichi counts their number. And faces. And... "No, no, no!!"

"What?!" Tsubaki is caught off-guard by his yelling. "Why are you screaming?!"

"...Where's Ran...?" Kaya feels cold all over.

They all look around and Matsuri crumbles to the ground. As if gravity suddenly intensified for her.

"...She's... She's fine, right...?" Shoko is ghostly pale. "She's..."

"...Was Ijishima the body that dropped?" Shirahase sounds worried.

She's not expecting Matsuri to charge her and start trying to ineffectually bat at her with her fists.

"She's not dead! She's not! She's not dead!! Shut up!"

"Well, well, it looks like the survivors have all gathered at last! Took you long enough~"

Fury washes over Kaya because even Matsuri's grief doesn't deserve to serve as Monokuma's invitation.

"...You." Yuuhi says in an aggressive tone.

"My, my, Sleeping Beauty himself. Did you get a kiss to wake up?"

"..."

"Aw, no fun at all. Weeeeell... You know what time it is! It's time for... The Monokuma File!"

Matsuri continues to wail and Monokuma laughs.

With a mix of anger and fear, Kaya checks what her handbook says.

"The victim in this case - Ijishima Ran -" ...Fuck. It is Ran... "...was killed around 5:30AM. The body shows sign of blunt force trauma all over. Her injuries may be consistent with a fall from a great height."

...

"But..." Yoshiki says timidly. "How... How can we investigate this...?"

"Whazzat?"

"...You're going to make us have a class trial again. Right...?" Yoshiki's already accepted that. "But... Ijishima... If... If that was her she... she fell to the first floor outside. How... How do we get out there?"

"Uh, duh, you use a window!"

"Your henchmen won't attack us?" Shirahase keeps a steady glare directed at him. "When we leave...?"

"Oh, is that what you're worried about? Well... How about this, for a special limited time only, they'll give you a wide berth to investigate! Just slide on out this particular window, and I'll have them secure the perimeter... Puhu... That sounded like a cool cop thing, right? Are you all cheering for me? Aren't you all in love with me?!"

It ends up being the window of one of the rec rooms that has the pool table in it.

"...Utsumi." Yoshiki looks to her. "Would you be willing to look after the body?"

"Of course. She... would feel more at ease with a girl watching over her."

"...If it's alright, I'd like to stand watch too." Matsunaga says solemnly. "Ijishima... Shouldn't be alone. And we really can't have just one person on guard duty... No offense, Utsumi."

"None taken."

"...Alright." Yoshiki looks around. "...Ebihara, I know this is asking a lot, but could you examine her body? We... The Monokuma File is vague in this regard."

"...Y-Yeah. I'm not a coroner but... I can give it a shot." She looks to Yuuhi seriously. "Will you be alright?"

"I'll be fine."

"Hold on!" Jinichi says loudly. "There are other places we need to search!"

"He's right." Daisuke takes a deep breath. "Ran was... from the third floor, or the roof so... Maybe we need to take a look there, too."

"Tatsuma and I will search the third floor and/or roof!" Jinichi yells again.

"...I'll meet up with you. There are questions I have about how this all happened." Yuuhi pushes through drowsiness. "After we investigate the body, I'll come up and join you."

"Alright! But I won't let you outshine me this time!"

"Have some fucking respect!" Shoko glares at Jinichi. "This isn't a competition!"

"Oh, but it is a competition! Life or death elimination match!" Monokuma cackles.

"..."

"There was also the incident with Rivera to investigate." Oboro says quietly. "I would like to investigate that as well when we have a chance."

"...Yeah. I agree." Konoe nods. He looks slowly to Daisuke, but it's clear Daisuke doesn't want him to be in his group. "We can compare notes with everyone later."

"I'll go with you two then." Kaya nods with determination.

"What will you do, Matsuri?" Yoshiki says it as gently as possible.

"I... I want to see her. I want..." She continues to cry. "I want to see it's her. Or I just can't... can't believe it..."

Konoe is struck by her... seemingly genuine display of emotion. Although he knows he's going to regret it as soon as it happens, he crouches down and offers his hand to her.

At once, she latches onto his arm with both hands and he pulls her up. And then... she wraps her arms around his waist and sobs into his shirt. Konoe has no idea what to do, just standing there unsure of what to say as wetness dampens the front of his shirt.

His eyes look to Kaya. They say, 'Help me!'

"...Matsuri. Come on. You wanted to see her, right?"

"..." Matsuri lets go, and Konoe immediately begins to make sure she didn't snot all over him. A dangerous look passes Matsuri's eyes as she stares everyone down. "Whoever did this is dead meat. Whoever killed her is dead meat. I'm going to dance on your grave and laugh when you get executed."

...

Kaya understands.

At this point, Matsuri only really trusts Konoe and Daisuke not to have done it, since she saw them before the... body fell.

~ ~ ~

...

The sight... isn't as bad as it could be, but it's still pretty bad.

Matsunaga uses his knife which he got back from Tsubaki to open the grate on the window in the rec room and they all go outside. Being outside... is... weird. The smell of ash is in the air, fire in the distance. The sky is morning but reddened to a bright orangey-red hue. How long has it been since they saw the sun?

As expected, the Mono-men create a defensive ring around them, giving them about fifty feet of space.

When Matsuri sees the body has pink hair she... has to take a moment to collect herself.

Matsunaga and Shirahase quickly move into position, and begin taking pictures of the crime scene just in case.

Shoko kneels by the body.

Ran is (mercifully) face down, with white shredded fabric around her neck. Looking up, Yuuhi can see bits of white material swaying in the breeze that goes up to the roof.

Kaya looks around with Konoe and Oboro.

"How'd she get all the way up there?!" Kaya practically screams in frustration looking up the wall.

Third floor, no, the roof. And... How to do that with the third floor restricted?

"I dunno." Tsubaki shakes her head. "I mean, Matsunaga or I maybe could've gotten up there. I've got some rock climbing experience but you'd need a rope and some other stuff. Ran though...? She was Lucky but... Unless she prayed to the god of gravity..."

"Don't be morbid." Oboro frowns.

Matsunaga is silently fuming that she'd even suggest he could.

"...She has some broken bones." Shoko says quietly. There's no birds or insects around, probably choked out by the ash. Which is... good and bad. "But she's not... that bloody."

"...Is that good or bad, Ebihara?" Yoshiki asks as he scans the vicinity.

"...Both? Umm... She has injuries and bruises, but like the Monokuma File says, it's possible they were caused by the fall. If she'd been alive when she fell from the roof then... She'd... There'd be a lot more blood."

"Is that so?" Matsunaga flinches at her words.

"The heart is a muscle, it pumps blood. When the heart stops, blood stops flowing. If she'd been alive just before she hit the ground, the heart would have still been pumping blood and there'd be blood everywhere. But because it stopped, blood stopped. I can't tell exactly how long she was hanging there but... she was dead before she hit the ground. For whatever good that does."

Yoshiki kneels beside the body. It's not... as bad as he was expecting. Not that he really expected to be gravely ill but...

"What's this around her neck?" He asks tugging at the white fabric.

"...That looks like a tablecloth." Tsubaki says quietly. "The kind you find in the cafeteria or banquet hall..."

"Or the utility room." Kaya nods. "We'll have to check there too."

"Then we'll check it as we do a sweep of the second floor." Oboro says succintly. "Leave it to us."

"The rope that was around Yuuhi's neck probably also came from the utility room. We should check it after we check the track."

"Alright." Konoe nods.

"...Anything else, Ebihara?" Yoshiki asks as he... stupidly feels for a pulse.

"Not really. There's some bruising around the neck, but that could be from just hanging there."

"...Ebihara." Shirahase kneels down. "...Does Ijishima smell like orange to you?"

"...What?" Shoko leans in to sniff the dead body which she recoils from doing after she realizes how weird that is. But... "...Yeah. I... I... I smell it but... but...?"

"Was she eating oranges?" Matsunaga thinks. "Those are lucky, right?"

"Practically anything is lucky." Kaya shrugs. "Even numbers, odd numbers, oranges, rain, sunshine... Who knows."

"I mean, was she the type of... mumbo jumbo enthusiast who would do things just because they're lucky?"

"Yeah, absolutely." Kaya nods.

"...This... isn't right..." Shoko stares at Ran's body. Konoe has the same type of expression, as if confused by some thought.

"I know."

Matsuri reaches down for Ran and Shirahase nearly moves to intervene but... Matsuri simply kneels and... holds her hand.

"...I'm sorry." Matsuri says simply. "I was supposed to protect you. I wanted you to live, too... You came to help me, and I... lied. I'm not a very good friend, am I?"

Konoe has to look away as tears sting his eyes. Daisuke...

"We'll find out who did this, Matsuri. Believe in us." Yoshiki says warmly but Matsuri shoots him a cold look. And then back to Ran.

"...I can't make this better for you. But I can make things right. You just wait. I'll send your killer where you are. And you can yell at them. But... You wouldn't do that. You'd hug them. And forgive them. That's how you were... Unfortunately..." She says before standing up and rubbing her face. There's... just anger there now. "I'm not as nice as you are, Ran."

"...Matsuri." Shirahase says it softly.

"If you killed her, I'll kill you." She stares Shirahase down.

"...You couldn't even if you wanted to."

"You so sure I can't?"

"You've never killed before. I have. And I'm stronger."

"...You're lying."

Shirahase smirks and pulls out her envelope with her secret... and hands it over to Matsuri. The reaction is instant... jealousy?

"Wh... What is it?" Kaya is unsure of how this is going to go. Konoe just shakes his head.

"...You're gonna tell them this now?" Konoe looks to her. "Right after a dead body shows up?"

"There was no motive this time for this. Assuming Ijishima did not commit suicide, it may have had something to do with the last motive. As such, I'll let you all know, so no secret can have power over me... I used to work as a professional assassin. My nickname was the Great White Shark."

...

And Konoe facepalms as everyone around them goes blank.

"...That's... You're... the Shark...?" Yoshiki looks to her. The... empty eyes, the serene smile. It's... Very shark-like. "N-No way... A murderer?!"

"...Did... Did Shirahase - the Shark - kill Ran?!" Tsubaki practically screams it.

"Had I killed anyone, it was not going to be her." She says simply. "Although I could inflict such injuries, I would not have hung her from the roof. And I would have told you all if I committed a murder."

"This has all gotten very melodramatic." Oboro sighs boredly. "I'll go up to the second floor to investigate if that's alright."

"W-Wait! Don't go alone! You..."

"Are you forgetting Rivera is alive because of me? I have no reason not to be alone at the scene."

"What...?" Tsubaki frowns. "What does that mean?"

"It means, I have no reason to hide evidence. So I'm going on ahead."

And Oboro climbs back through the window without a second thought.

"...I meant it was dangerous but, whatever." Kaya sighs.

"Do you still want to look around a bit?" Konoe asks.

"...Yeah, just a little more I think. I don't know how much more we'll find here but..."

"...I'm going to help them on the third floor. And the roof." Matsuri says quickly. "I need to know where it happened. And how."

"I'll go with you. I think I've seen all I can..." Yuuhi follows weakly.

"Hey. Yuuhi... Drink lots of water. That'll help, I think." Shoko says looking in his direction and he nods. "...I'm going to investigate a bit more too, and then there are some things I need to check out."

Slowly, her stare focuses on Matsunaga.

"...What?" He looks at her nervously.

"Your hand's bleeding."

"Huh?" Matsunaga looks. His right hand, wrapped in bandages, is leaking drips of blood. "Oh. That..."

"What did you do?!" Shoko stands up and marches over to him, and begins unwrapping his hand before he can stop her.

"I cut my hand on some glass, that's all."

"Fuck... Matsunaga, these look serious!" She groans.

"They're not. They just bleed a lot, relax."

"How can I relax with..." She looks to Ran's body. "...with that..."

"Yeah, good point. Sorry." He withdraws his hand, but Shoko's sure there's glass in the wound.

"When this is over, come find me on the second floor. I'll wrap your hand."

"...I'm on guard duty. Wait until after the trial." He says beginning to rewrap his hand with the somewhat bloodied bandages. "It's fine, I can wait until then."

"...Yeah. You're right. Okay. After the trial then."

~ ~ ~

"Stay away from the edge." Daisuke says warningly. "There are no guardrails up here."

The door to the roof was wide open, and had been when they got there. The tablecloth had been tied tightly to the door handle, and Ran's weight had either opened the door or it was already opened.

"I just need to see the ends of the rope... noose... cloth."

"Then reel it in and don't get close to the edge."

Daisuke rolls his eyes. At least Jinichi is trying.

"...I'm sorry, by the way. I blamed you for losing to Monokuma. I was wrong. It was mean. I'm sorry. Let's focus."

"...Okay... That all never came up between us but... I accept?"

"Good."

Jinichi was logical to a fault, and it was like his brain only worked in short sentences sometimes. Daisuke shakes his head. He'll take whatever he can get.

"Find anything?"

"Here. Look." Jinichi comes closer with the tablecloth. "Do these edges look cut to you?"

"...No. The edges are all... frayed. And... dirty."

"I surmise that the tablecloth began to rip under her weight and with the friction of side of the building."

"I can see that. Yeah. Take a picture of it, just in case."

Daisuke looks across the way. He can see the roof of the Administration building.

As if drawn to try something, he pulls out his bow and notches an arrow. Without the punishment, he's okay to have a weapon. And there's something he wants to try.

"What are you doing?!"

"...Testing something."

He pulls back the bowstring. Familiar numbness, but that's not really the point, he's not aiming at anything particular, just a general area. The bow shakes unsteadily in his hand as Jinichi practically dives behind him just in case.

The bowstring tenses and then makes a soft woosh as it's released. The arrow flies over the gap between the buildings and strikes the roof of the Administration building before splintering.

"...What did you do that for?"

"...It's about... twenty or so feet. Between the buildings. Huh. That'd be hard to do for most of you..."

"Most of who? ...What does that get us?!"

"...Maybe nothing. I'm just taking measurements for later."

"...Later?!"

~ ~ ~

"Tendo ran off ahead. You think she's okay?" Konoe and Kaya walk down the hallway to the stairs and up to the second floor.

"Unless she hurt herself, she's fine. We were all there together, minus the guys on the third floor. Still, she's acting weird. Weirder, I mean."

"...Yeah. I don't like it." He says nodding. "Something about the way she didn't even check the other doors when we were running by."

"Yeah. But. She did save Yuuhi. I... I don't know. Something's up with her."

The track is the same way they'd left it, for all intents and purposes. The scoreboard is going up and down, with Oboro at the winch.

"Find anything?" Kaya calls out loudly to echo through the room.

"Oh, you're here. There was something that occurred to me." Oboro says back, loudly. "Come take a look."

When they make it there, Oboro is messing with winch controls.

"...What are you doing?"

"When we did the volleyball game, I figured out the control panel for the winch. You can raise it and lower it with the press of a button. Assuming you know which one to press but..." There's an up and a down button. "It's not difficult."

Kaya quirks a brow. She hits the up button, the winch pulls the scoreboard up. She lets go, it stops. She hits the down button, the winch pulls the scoreboard down. She lets it go, it stops.

"Huh."

"Yes, that is what up and down mean." Oboro rolls her eyes. "They are simple concepts."

"No. Bitch. Not that." Kaya mutters. "...When we were here, the scoreboard was going up by itself. But you have to hold the button for it to go up."

"Ah. No, not necessarily. Look here..." She says pointing to a timing... button... thing. "You can set the winch to raise and lower it at specific times, like stage lights. There's a timer, and even controls for speed. Although it was going up very slowly, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Hey. Can you lower scoreboard a bit? I want to try something." Konoe says moving for the scoreboard.

"How much is a bit?" Kaya calls out to him.

"Until I can grab the rope!"

Just as Oboro said, the winch can go up and down and even has a timer. It must be used for things like practice so a technician doesn't need to be there when a sports game is played...? Maybe?

The rope reaches Konoe and he leaps up and holds it.

"Okay! Go up!"

"What are you doing, Tarzan?!" Kaya glares at him.

"Testing the strength of the rope!"

"..." Kaya rolls her eyes and begins to move the scoreboard up.

The rope doesn't break at all under his weight. It stays intact, and though the scoreboard is a little shaky, it holds up well.

"Okay, let me down!"

...Once on the ground.

"Find anything interesting?" Oboro asks condescendingly.

"...The rope can support a person my size. Aside from Utsumi, I've probably got the most weight here."

"That's rude! So rude!"

"I mean because she has muscle! I'm not calling her fat!" Not that he'd want to anyway since she was a hitman. "...I just mean that the rope can support even me. And the scoreboard too."

"Meaning what?"

"...Well, whoever it was put Rivera on a timer, right? I mean, the winch. To hang him. You get it." Konoe stumbles through his words. "What I'm saying is, the killer could have really killed Rivera."

"...Uh, duh?"

"No, not duh! It could have been staged like this!" He says sharply.

"Ah, I see. Sakurai is correct. If the timer had been set in advance for a certain time... Maybe the killer tried to make it appear that Rivera was in danger, and he wasn't. But... Sakurai is saying he very much was in danger."

"...Yeah, but why do the timer at all? Just... I mean, if you want to kill someone, you do it? What's the point of setting it to a timer?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Oboro smiles. "To create an alibi."

An... An alibi?!

"Yeah, it's a possibility. The killer attacks Ijishima... And also attacks Rivera. They set it up so he can get killed at a different place on a different floor, and all the killer has to do is set a button. So... The killer tried to kill two people at once, but only one died. Tendo means they used Rivera to try and make an alibi for themselves."

"Indeed. By having the scoreboard kill him, presumably in secret, we would be divided on who would have been able to do what. If we could not find a killer who could kill both of them, presumably in the same time frame... Then our vote would be split."

"..." Is that right? Is that how that happened...?

"...Anyway. The rope's sturdy. It only snapped when Tendo hit it with the arrow. I think we need to check the utility room."

...

On their way down the second floor hallway, they see Shoko coming out of the school store.

"Hey. Find any new things?" Kaya calls to her and Shoko nearly has a heart attack.

"Holy... You scared me."

"Sorry."

"What were you doing?" Oboro laughs. "Trying to find a notebook?"

"No, I was... I was checking on the medications."

"...Oh. Because of Rivera." Konoe nods. "...And?"

"We definitely don't have anything that could knock someone out. Not that I saw."

"But... You saw him. He could barely stand up when we first got him up." Kaya furrows her brow. "You're sure?"

"Positive. Nothing that could make anyone drowsy. I even checked the chemicals."

"...Chemicals?" Konoe makes a face.

"...Well. For the sake of not having to have a third class trial, I won't tell you which chemicals but... Certain chemicals when mixed can make chloroform. I was wondering if that was what was used, but I didn't see anything in there that would do it."

"Hey. I'm not gonna kill anyone. You can tell me at least." Konoe says almost indignant.

She looks at him.

...He does want Daisuke to live. Killing someone would mean he'd get executed. And getting away with it means that Daisuke would be executed, with everyone.

"...Sorry. I... I don't think it's safe to even say it. But rest assured, I checked anywhere I could think of for chemicals, laundry aisle, first aid stuff, cleaning supplies... I don't think anyone's been messing with them. And hopefully it stays that way."

"...By the way, Shoko." Oboro says quietly. "We're going to the utility room. Would you mind checking the laundry room?"

"...Huh? Why?"

"In the last trial, both Chisato and Matsuri washed their bloody clothes in the washing machines. We should check to see if someone's clothes are in there."

"Well... In... In the interest of full disclosure, I did my laundry last night. So one of my things is in there. But I didn't kill anyone, I promise."

"..." Kaya gives her a hard look. "From her, I buy it."

"...R-Really?" Even Shoko is surprised.

"A wimp like her couldn't open the window grates and scale the wall. And you were as surprised as anyone to find Ran. I'll give you a pass. For now."

"Indeed. For now." Oboro smiles.

"...That really isn't fair." Konoe stares hard at them. "If Ebihara wanted to kill someone she would've just had them overdose on something. Which one of us dumbasses is going to be able spot what that looks like aside from her? She wouldn't go and hang someone to death."

Shoko is... quietly touched that Konoe believes in her... and quietly enraged that his belief in her stems from the fact that she would have killed someone with her medical knowledge.

"...Yeah, yeah. Maybe. Anyway..."

Kaya begins walking.

"...We won't be far away." Konoe places his hand on Shoko's shoulder. "If you need help, or something comes up, scream and we'll come running. You got the three fastest runners here."

"Okay. Thanks. Be... Be careful. Daisuke doesn't want you to die." She says seriously. Konoe flinches and blushes quietly before nodding.

~ ~ ~

"...What the heck did you guys do?!" Matsuri is astonished by the state of the third floor.

Parts of it are completely clean but...

"Were you kicking the walls...?" Yuuhi stares at some of the narrow hallways.

There are... footprints on the wall.

"What?! Why would we?" Jinichi glares.

"That was like that when we got here."

"...The third floor was out of bounds last night, correct?" Yuuhi crosses his arms. "Monokuma normally rotates restricted areas based on when it becomes day time again... So it would have changed around 7AM... And Ran was killed at 5:30AM... still nighttime."

Matsuri laughs and follows the footprints on the walls.

"Uh oh, shelf down! Call a medic!"

A bookcase is overturned flat, as if someone has come in and pulled it down "face first", in a way. 

The trail of footprints continues and Yuuhi takes pictures of the damages. Bookshelves, a kind of armoire, and other bits of furniture have been overturned as the fooprints on the wall stretch out towards... The roof?

"Huh. Interesting."

"...I'm going to look up there." Matsuri says somberly.

"Careful, there's no guardrail." Daisuke says it quickly.

"I'm not gonna jump." Matsuri ignores the warning.

He shakes his head.

"Hey, Yuuhi. One other thing you might want to take a look at. I found when we were making our way up."

Daisuke leads Yuuhi and Jinichi towards one of the third floor windows by a corner. They can see white shreds of fabric, where Ran had been. This is about the place her body had been found at. Which meant, below was where everyone else was.

"Yes. This is a better view of things..."

"No, not that. The window. Look." Daisuke points at the top part of the window. Part of it is smashed and there's blood splattered on part of it.

"...That is strange. Could that have come from Ijishima?" Yuuhi thinks back. "...I'll ask Ebihara later if she saw lacerations on her..."

"...I dunno. Wouldn't she have bumped the grate? Unless she kicked the window. But look." He points to the floor, which has glass on it. "It came from outside in, I think. Did you see any glass around the outside?"

"No. I don't remember any, in any case." Yuuhi considers it. "Good find, Tatsuma."

"Hey. Uh... Are you... feeling okay?"

"...I think I enjoy getting that question as much as you do at this point." Yuuhi offers a weak smile.

"Y-Yeah... Fair... Sorry."

~ ~ ~

...

The utility room is as dark and dank as always.

Oboro examines the rope quietly, while Konoe begins taking boxes off of shelves to look through them.

"I'll be right back. The dust is getting in my eyes." Oboro says as she moves away towards the linens to find a towel.

"...Hey. Konoe." Kaya whispers. "...Here. Look at this."

"Why are we whispering?" He whispers loudly.

"Because it's important but it's... Just..." She pulls out the box that had Matsunaga's secret in it and shows him. "...I dunno if this has anything to do with anything, but just in case..."

"..." Konoe's face crinkles in confusion. "This... can't be right."

"...That's what I thought but..."

"And here's Daisuke's too but... Was Ijishima in here...?"

"Apparently. I mean... Maybe Matsunaga was hiding his secret and Ran found out...?"

"And what? Killed her? How?" Konoe shakes his head. "...If Matsunaga was being punished like Daisuke, he couldn't use a weapon. Even just... If he strangled her, he'd still have a weapon, right? That'd count..."

"...I guess. Anything can be a weapon in the right hands though... Or... Wrong hands."

"I get what you're saying, but I don't think this is related." He puts his hand to his chin. "But we can talk to him later if we need to."

"Yeah..."

"Ow!" Oboro says loudly as she stumbles over something.

"What's wrong?"

"I..." She turns and frowns at something on the ground. "There's something. I tripped on something."

They follow where her eyes go but...?

"...A pool ball?" Kaya blinks. "...That's a pool ball, right?"

"Number 14?" Konoe picks it up.

"...Why is there a pool ball here?" Oboro stares hard at it.

"..." Kaya considers it. "I'll ask Yoshiki about it. But... For now, I'll take a picture of it, just in case."

As Kaya takes a picture, Konoe looks towards the linens.

"What's wrong, Sakurai?" Oboro follows his eyes.

"I want to test something."

"Alright. Got it." 

Kaya looks over to the coils of rope... There is one missing, but they did find it at the track. Was another coil of rope used...? Or was it just the one...?

Konoe reaches over to the linens, and picks up a tablecloth.

"What are you doing?"

"I said I want to test something." He says holding the tablecloth and begins tugging it from two ends. And... eventually... the tablecloth frays and shreds in half.

"You ripped it?" Oboro frowns. "...That's another lost blanket.

"You two try. Can you rip the tablecloth?"

Kaya sighs and takes half of the ripped cloth and, holding it from the not ripped end, she pulls until... threads separate with enough force and surely rip. Even Oboro, not an athlete, can get her half to rip.

"...What was the point of that?" Kaya grumbles.

"...There are two coils of rope. But only one was used for Rivera. But for Ijishima, someone used a tablecloth. Or she did. If it's one killer, why use two different materials?"

"...I concede your point." Oboro nods in affirmation. "And the tablecloth is more fragile. That was what you noticed tugging on the rope at the track?"

"That's right. Gravity alone would've shredded it so..." Konoe shakes his head. "I don't really know what it means, but it sounds important."

~ ~ ~

Meeting up again, Kaya moves towards Yoshiki.

They're more or less forced back inside, which means they're running out of time. None of the Mono-men speak, but as they walk closer, they get the sense that they need to go back inside.

"Hey. Yoshiki. Are..." Kaya struggles with how to say it. "...Did you ever find the pool balls?"

"Huh?"

"We couldn't play pool because the balls went missing. Did... Did you happen to notice if they reappeared?"

"...Well, yeah. I think they came back. I noticed them when we were on the first floor. I figured I overlooked them, because they showed up. But I don't know exactly when they did show up again."

Yuuhi continues to drink water under Shoko's advice. They're practically forcing him to do pushups to work through the haze of what happened to him. Monokuma wouldn't be so kind as to actually let him sit this out. 

Every minute of it felt like fighting through a fog.

"...I still feel like I have no idea who did it." Tsubaki looks to Jinichi who has the same troubled expression.

"Tachibana and I were eager to put this to rest, and so we did more investigation than last time. But I'm not sure how useful we were this time." Jinichi is beating himself up. "I'm missing some of the pieces."

"Well... Knowing you're missing something is better than how you were last time?" She smiles weakly at him.

"You think so?"

...

Throughout it all, people are keeping their distance from Shirahase, though it was really no surprise after her big reveal. Only Konoe... And for some reason, Matsuri, are brave enough to be near her.

"...You didn't kill her. Did you?" Matsuri looks to Shirahase seriously.

"As I said before, no."

"..."

Konoe steals glances at Daisuke who is speaking with Shoko as she does her tests again, squeezing at his arms and his hands. He hopes... He hopes this trial isn't going to be too stressful for him, but of course it is. There's no way it couldn't be.

"What's this? Did the upperclassmen throw in the towel? Are you all done investigating...?"

Monokuma gives a cruel chuckle and by now, Kaya has almost learned to anticipate him appearing in times of relative peace and quiet.

"Is there more to investigate?" Matsunaga looks at him seriously.

"We went over the roof, the third floor, the track, the... site of the body... and the utility room. Was... Was there somewhere else we missed."

"I dunno. Could be~ Well, I'm sure it'll all work out fine! For at least one of you, anyway. Buuut... You know just seeing you all stand around, wasting your potential energy..." He continues, ignoring them. "...Is really boring. If you're ready for the class trial, there's no reason to shuffle around."

"Wait... Are there... more things to discover?!" Yoshiki turns to him desperately. "We... We need more time!"

"How like a senior, to dawdle and dilly dally until the very last minute... Nah, I'm tired of waiting. No extensions on your homework! Just do your best! Accept the grade you get... This will count on the Final~"

"...Does anyone know who did this...?" Matsuri looks around. "I want all of your theories."

"Not here, Souma." Yuuhi says quietly. His mind is slowly clearing with the stress and adrenaline. "This isn't the place for accusations."

"Then we... We have to do it again." Tsubaki sighs. "We really have to do this again..."

"Of course! Don't you want to know who killed your beloved classmate?!"

"...Isn't it obvious that she committed suicide?" Matsunaga grits his teeth and stares hard at Monokuma. "You say murder, but it was definitely suicide."

Kaya is struck speechless by this. A suicide...?

Is that possible...?

Well, surely, it is possible... But does that explain everything? Is that the truth...?

"As I said, this isn't the place for accusations. We'll settle this, together. We'll solve this, together. We'll bring an end to this, together." Yuuhi starts to walk for the elevator. "And we'll face the consequences of this trial... together."

"Well, as long as I get to see whoever killed Ran fry, I don't mind a little ride in the elevator first~" Matsuri cheerfully follows after.

"...I'm telling you, it's a suicide." Matsunaga crosses his arms and follows.

Shoko sighs sadly and moves with Daisuke for the elevator.

"Alright, everyone. Let's... Let's do this." Yoshiki tries to be confident but he fails, by a slim margin.

"Hmm... Confidence level... 6/10." Monokuma says nodding. "Mister Linguist's speech was a clear 100/10... Yours is lackluster. Try harder Mister Secretary!"

"...Enough of this, I can't stand hearing that thing talk." Jinichi pulls Yoshiki along by the arm. Tsubaki follows.

"You all did very well today." Oboro says royally, as if she's just passed an edict. "I praise you. Now, let us see where the chips fall."

"..." Konoe looks to Kaya before he moves on. "...I'll find out who did this, Ijishima. For your sake. And for his."

"When I find out who you are, you'll be dead. Make no mistake." Shirahase stares hard at Monokuma who seems... excited... in a gross way.

"Oooh... A threat from the Shark. So scary... I think I've got chills! It's just a shame that bears aren't a Shark's prey! And especially not in a bear's domain... Right?"

"..."

Shirahase ignores him and walks away.

Kaya looks to Monokuma, dangerously.

"You won't get away with this."

"Get away with what? You make it sound like it's my fault~"

"It is your fault!"

"You were all so desperate to get in but now that things aren't going according to plan, you're killing each other to get out. Mowing down anyone who gets in your way is just how the world works! Whether it's job searches or entrance exams... Some people win, and others lose. The cream rises to the top. And then..."

"And then? What? And then what happens?"

"...I'm surprised at you, Miss Cyclist. How many bodies have you stepped over on your way here? ...You're not enjoying the game? Can you pass the Final with that kind of attitude? I would have thought you'd be a natural for a game like this~"

"..."

"It's just the law of the jungle, right? Natural selection. And think of all the good that's come of this! Or... Or are you going through a Hope phase yourself? Puhuhu..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Living: 12  
> Dead: 4
> 
> \- - -
> 
> With the class trial looming over them, will the death toll rise to 5? Or more...? 


	21. I Want to Knock You Down - Class Trial #2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another class trial, so as always... read responsibly!
> 
> \- - -
> 
> Another death, another mystery.
> 
> Ijishima Ran, the Lucky Student, met an unlucky end. But, was it murder...? Suicide...? Everything's hazy...
> 
> Kaya doesn't want to suspect another friend, but... What really happened?!

The elevator ride down is tense and moody.

The remaining twelve wait for the elevator to come to a halt...

The familiar tension in the air. The familiar faces all around her...

Another friend dead... And... How were they all going to make it out of here alive?!

~ ~ ~ **Class Trial: All Rise!** ~ ~ ~

Once again, they step into the wide theater of the basement. The familiar rounded witness stands or... assigned seats... greet them once again.

Without waiting to be told, they all take their spots... They're very aware that there are only twelve of them now.

The decorations are still over the top. Except now, everything is strange neon signs and fake syscraper motifs. Lights come on and off, signs blink. Fake cars on fake street maps line the walls. Some of the cars look like they're drawn in crayon.

"...Still weird as always." Kaya mutters as she shifts her weight.

"Welcome, welcome to the 2nd Class Trial! You know... I'm a little impressed! I didn't even have to give you a second motive for this one... at least, not really. You all are having so much fun with the secrets, no wonder you're upperclassmen!" Monokuma laughs cruelly.

"...We should begin this." Yuuhi says, still shaken.

"Are you going to be alright...?" Shoko looks over to him.

"I'll be fine. It isn't like I have a choice."

"Right you are! Now then... The goal of the class trial is figure out 'whodunnit', you'll use the clues you found and your own logic to debate who you think did it, how, and why... But really only the who matters! And if you get it right, if you figure out who the blackened is in this case, only they will receive punishment! But if you pick the wrong person~ ...Then I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and only the blackened will pass their Final Exam!"

"...Is he seriously going to say that every time?" Matsunaga crosses his arms.

"It was a little different this time. But..." Daisuke shrugs.

"...Who would like to begin?" Yuuhi says looking around at the others.

"In that case, you should leave everything to Hirano and myself!" Yoshiki says triumphantly.

"That's right, Rivera. You leave this to us! We'll do the heavy lifting this time." Jinichi smirks.

"...So even he realizes he was useless in the last trial." Oboro smiles.

"Where to begin..."

"I'll start! Pay attention." Jinichi says confidently. "The victim in this case was Ijishima Ran, the Lucky Student who... was found hanging from the roof. And then... Well, you all remember!"

"We found her hanging from the roof, true..." Matsuri says with malice. "But she dropped from the roof and onto the ground. Wham... I... I don't know who did it, but I'll never forgive them."

"How strange to hear you of all people speak that way." Shirahase's mask is totally off. It's simply the cold emptiness of the Shark there for all to see.

"Ran was the only one here who stood up for me. Not even my valiant knight would do that!"

"...Why would I?" Konoe stares hard at her. "You're not worth saving."

"Stop it." Kaya slams her hand on the wood which makes Yoshiki jump. "We can't get into that here. We need to find out who killed Ran."

"Correct! Nishikado is correct! Also..." Jinichi says posturing. "The second incident in this case also needs to be discussed."

"Yuuhi..." Shoko says quietly. "He almost got... Hanged? Hung? ...Strangled...?"

"Mm... Hung..." Matsuri winks at Yuuhi.

"And like last time, it's possible these incidents are connected, but separate." Yoshiki says with a nod. "Or they could be the same killer. We can't rule out possibilities yet. Alright?"

"The Monokuma File says that Ran was killed around 5:30AM, still technically nighttime."

"Then we should discuss what killed her." Oboro nods.

"We already know what killed her!" Matsuri barks angrily. "She got killed when someone put the noose around her neck and dropped her!"

"...The noose was a tablecloth, correct?" Konoe considers it. "And that's something you can get in the banquet hall, or the utility room's linen closet, correct? I don't know if there were any tables missing tablecloths though, so I guess the linens...?"

"Can I ask something?" Oboro says with great gentility. "Why use a tablecloth as your noose instead of the rope? Was it for a reason, or just opportunity?"

"Are we sure it wasn't suicide?" Matsunaga asks. "She was found hanging. All the other injuries could be explained from her fall, correct? Maybe Ijishima picked it herself."

"Well..." Shoko sighs, beginning a medical explanation. "Bodies sometimes develop bruising after death. It's hard to tell if it was before or after she died. She had some head wounds, and some broken bones. One or more of her organs might have ruptured... But she did fall from the third floor, so all of that is explainable. The lack of blood is also consistent with falling... if she'd died from hanging, her blood would have stopped pumping when her heart stopped beating so..."

"Yes, but why not rope and why a tablecloth?" Yuuhi asks pointedly. "It is a good question."

"You can find rope in the utility room. We saw it earlier. When we..." She looks to Matsunaga. "You know. There were also tablecloths there in the linen stuff... Maybe she just chose whatever she felt like? Or the killer did."

"Yes. But my question is, isn't it possible that Ijishima killed herself?" Matsunaga crosses his arms.

"What's the point of a class trial if she committed suicide?" Daisuke grumbles. "Monokuma, would you really make us investigate a suicide?"

"Hmm... Well... You ask, and so I shall answer! In a class trial, you identify who murdered who. It's quite possible that **someone could murder themselves**... But do you think that explains what happened with the Super High School Level Linguist...? Aren't there mysteries that need to be solved?!"

"...That's not really an answer. If Ran killed herself, there's no killer in this case." Daisuke shrugs. "I mean... Even with Yuuhi would... Would we have to convict someone who attempted murder? If Ran killed herself, there's no culprit."

"Oh, I see. What a clever little gibbon you are!"

"Gibbon...?"

"Gibbons are small apes." Tsubaki explains.

"Hm... Hmm... Hmmm.... I the honorable Monokuma do hereby decree that no one who attempts a murder will be judged the blackened unless that murder is fulfilled! ...Otherwise, I'd have to execute so many of you..."

"Then, there is no killer in this case. We can just vote for Ran... Right?" Tsubaki questions.

"Are we sure that Ijishima was suicidal?" Yuuhi crosses his arms. "I wasn't there. I need some information before I'm ready to commit to that. And I would like to know who attacked me. It could just be that the killer attempted to kill two, but only killed one. At the very least, let's consider all of our options, particularly if there's a murderer who simply failed to kill me."

"Alright. I'm with you." Tsubaki nods.

"I'm with exchange student on this!" Matsuri nods. "I don't buy suicide for Ran, not one bit!"

"Why not...?" Matsunaga is shocked to hear her agreeing with Yuuhi.

"Because, Ran hates it. Duh. Her secret was that she once bullied someone until they committed suicide. And she was very very adamant that you all be nice to me so I never have to resort to killing myself. Ran hates suicide. Hated. I mean..."

Matsuri's chipper demeanor has subdued by the end. She... Actually feels bad for Ran.

"She... did have the same sort of feeling for Tatsuma." Jinichi murmurs.

"And suicide is a little too convenient." Kaya says quickly. "Ran was... Happy. Always happy. She... I don't buy it! Is there really any evidence that she was suicidal? At all?"

"Aside from being in such a stressful environment, I might be able to offer some evidence." Shirahase says quietly. "Tachibana, Hirano, and I investigated her body. I could not help but notice she smelled of oranges."

"...Oranges?" Konoe blinks. Why is that familiar?

"...Ebihara. You know what this means, correct? You seemed quite perturbed, as did Sakurai so..."

"Huh? Me... I...?" She thinks about it and then gasps. "N-No... No way!"

"And we're lost~ Come on, doc, share with the class!" Matsuri pressures her.

"...The allergy medication. Or. Sleeping pills, I guess... I... I _knew_ they were bad... I knew something like this would happen...!"

"What are you saying?"

"..." Shoko looks away. "I got rid of it all. I dumped the allergy medication. After Yuuhi wasn't feeling well that first time, I decided it was too dangerous to keep it around. So... I tossed it."

"You... tossed it?!" Matsunaga's eyes widen in disbelief.

"I didn't want someone to use sleeping pills on someone. I didn't realize it would go... to suicide. So... I... I switched all the bottles' contents with Vitamin C tablets."

"...Vitamin C?" Daisuke makes a face. "...Then you mean... Ran went and downed an entire bottle of Vitamin C... Thinking it was allergy meds?"

"...That would explain the smell of oranges. I believe." Shirahase nods. "If Ijishima were considering suicide... Then pills are a painless way to go. Like falling asleep. Instead, she had to resort to hanging. But it is a less... destructive way to go."

"...Then... she really did..." Matsunaga looks down.

"Wait, Ebihara. I have a question." Konoe looks to her. "If you took all the Vitamin C in a bottle, wouldn't that kill you...? Is it possible she was dying from an overdose anyway? In which case, she wouldn't have to hang herself."

"No. Vitamin C overdoses... Science mumbo jumbo aside, if you overdose on Vitamin C you get maybe a stomach ache, but your body expels what you don't need. That's why I picked it. At worst your stomach hates you for a while, but it's not really possible from what I know. But Ran might not have known that. So she..."

"...I see. Then there is evidence that Ijishima was suicidal. If she took all of the Vitamin C... It's possible that she realized nothing was happening, and then got desperate." Yoshiki nods.

"Hold it, hold it, hold it!" Matsuri growls. "We haven't figured out shit yet! Don't go deciding she committed suicide!"

"...You are really pushing this hard." Matsunaga narrows his eyes at her.

"Because... Because, because, because~ It still doesn't explain shit! How did Ran end up on the roof in the first place? Hm? She didn't put herself there, did she?!"

"...I have to conede her point." Konoe says reluctantly. "The third floor was restricted. Which means you couldn't get to the roof. At least not conventionally."

"Aw, darling. Love you lots!"

"...Shut up."

"Is it possible she climbed?" Matsunaga looks around. "She may have gotten lucky."

"Lucky?" Kaya scoffs.

"She was the Lucky Student. Maybe she managed to climb her way up to the roof without hurting herself." Daisuke shrugs. "I think that's possible. Maybe?"

"...Why would she do that?" Yoshiki frowns. "And how? She'd have to get one of the grates off and... by then, if she really was suicidal, just... Just jump off from the second floor. Let gravity take care of the rest."

"There's a chance she wouldn't have died from that. But... The Mono-men might have finished her off." Shoko says quietly. "Maybe she went to the roof to hang herself because jumping might not have done the job?"

"No, absolutely not!" Jinichi says. "Because if she were climbing up there, there's no way she could have gotten the grate off herself! And I sincerely doubt that she was dexterous enough to climb up with nothing but the tablecloth! Either someone put her up there or someone helped her commit suicide! Given that it's a murder trial, I think we need to seriously consider foul play."

"Look at you, did you get smarter since the last trial?" Daisuke laughs.

"Maybe she used the tablecloth as her rope? For climbing? And then for hanging...?"

"...The only person I know of who could maybe pull that off is Matsunaga." Shoko laughs nervously. "For any of us, lucky or not... I wouldn't want to try it."

"Then maybe it _was_ Matsunaga." Oboro says it and instantly the room is stunned into silence. 

And all eyes turn to Matsunaga.

"H... How dare you! I didn't kill anyone! She committed suicide."

"But it is possible, isn't it? You're the one who scaled the grates before. We've seen you do it." Tsubaki offers.

"Was it you, Acrobat? Did you kill Ran?!" Matsuri looks murderous.

"How could I have? And more importantly, how would that have happened? Ran... Ijishima committed suicide! You... You're making it sound like I dragged her up the side of a building!"

"Didn't you?" Tsubaki crosses her arms.

"...If I were going to climb up the building, I sure as hell wouldn't be using a tablecloth as a rope. And if I pulled a King Kong and dragged her up there, she would've been kicking and screaming the entire time! How would I have been able to keep a grip on her and climb the building?!"

"The Vitamin C tablets would definitely not have rendered her unconscious. I... I don't think." Shoko says weakly.

"...Perhaps she was unconscious." Oboro shrugs. "We can't tell what injuries are from the fall. It's possible a head wound rendered her unconscious, and then you pulled her up."

"What kind of fantasy world are you living in?! Ijishima committed suicide! And I had nothing to do with that!"

"You can't negate the possibility."

"Hold on. There's something you're forgetting." Kaya shakes her head. "Matsunaga uses his scarf as an acrobatics tool. Why would he have used a tablecloth and not his scarf?"

"Because he needed something to tie Ran to the roof! And if he left his scarf, he might as well have said, 'Hey, I did it! It was me!' ...He's not stupid." Matsuri seethes at him.

"In that case, why not use the rope in the utility room?" Konoe crosses his arms. "Tablecloths are not made for supporting that kind of weight. They'll fray and tear. A rope has a better chance of actually holding a person. Assuming Ijishima was unconscious, wouldn't you pick the least likely thing to break?"

"And if the tablecloth snapped, and Ran fell, she would have died from the fall not from hanging. But her heart had already stopped beating according to Shoko. Not that we can tell for sure, I don't remember how long she was hanging there for... Maybe half an hour...?" Daisuke says quietly. "But it does bother me that the Monokuma File doesn't say what the cause of death was. That feels important. Shoko, you really can't give us more info?"

"...I'm not a coroner, sorry. It's not really my area of expertise, but I can give some commentary?" She says before beginning. "She had to have been dead before the fall, I think. The blood just... doesn't match it if she were still alive before that. I can't say for sure if she was dead before or after being hanged, but she also shouldn't have been unconscious, especially if there were no sleeping pills."

"In other words, Ebihara is saying that... Ijishima died from the hanging or before the hanging." Yuuhi considers it, wishing he'd had more time to investigate. "And if Ijishima were alive at the start of it, she wouldn't have been unconscious barring an unforeseen circumstance. And Matsunaga, if he had done it, would have had an unconscious or dead already Ijishima... But alive and conscious would make it difficult to climb."

"She commited suicide. I had nothing to do with it." Matsunaga repeats, each time angrier.

"...And anyway, there's no way Matsunaga could have opened the grate." Kaya says, thinking back on it. "That was part of his punishment, remember?"

"...Punishment?" Daisuke quirks a brow. "What punishment? I'm the only one who got punished. Thanks for that, by the way. Real fucking nice." 

He gives an angry look to Monokuma.

"Monokuma said so, remember? The people who burned their secrets weren't allowed to carry weapons. That's why Konoe had to hold onto Daisuke's bow and arrows. Matsunaga had to get rid of his knife with the stuff attached to it."

"Hold on. Matsunaga got punished too?" Daisuke flinches. "I... I did think it was strange that... I got punished but he didn't but... I'm the one that burned the secrets so..."

"We found out later he was punished." Kaya says with a nod. "In the utility room, we found his... papers."

"Papers?"

"So many sheets of paper with Matsunaga's secret, in more than one box." Kaya nods. "Hidden, but they were there, right, Konoe? We found them where Ran must have put Daisuke's after taking them down."

Matsunaga turns a bright purple. "Y.. You didn't..."

"I don't really want to reveal someone else's secret but..." Konoe looks to him. "If it has to be done for the trial..."

"When Daisuke and Matsunaga burned their secrets, Monokuma got even with them for... **destroying school property**... Or something." Kaya nods. "He plastered the walls of the second floor with their secret."

"But only mine was up there!" Daisuke grimaced.

He's right. Only his were up there, but there had been scraps of paper attached to staples... Konoe does remember seeing them, which is why...

"Because Matsunaga got there first." Konoe nods understandingly. "That's why there were some bits of paper stuck to the wall... Matsunaga saw his secret and tore all of his down... And because he couldn't destroy the paper... He hid it. In the utility room."

"We heard Monokuma say he'd **said his speech about destroying school property before** , right? He must have told Matsunaga first and he took his secret down before anyone else could see it."

"...!!"

"What... was the secret...?" Shoko looks to him.

"..."

"In the interests of full transparency, I will reveal it!" Monokuma laughs.

"...That's low, even for you." Konoe grimaces.

"Don't you dare!" Matsunaga glares over at him.

"Why not? You hid your secret, but the others found out. Either they say it, or I do~"

Kaya groans. It must be important to the case.

"I'm sorry, Matsunaga." She says. It's probably better she reveal it rather than anyone else.

**Matsunaga Sorata's secret identity is the Super High School Level Thief - Hiragumo!**

Matsunaga clenches his teeth together in anger.

"What...?" Shoko laughs. "That's... That... That... No..."

"..."

"You were telling the truth?!" Shoko looks at him blankly startled.

"The truth about what?" Shirahase looks to her.

"He... When... The night Ayumu was murdered, he told me... We were going to compare secrets but..."

~ ~ ~

_"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours!" Shoko says boldly, pointing at him._

_"Oh?"_

_"Yeah! Absolutely! Blood pact."_

_Matsunaga stares at her blankly. He then begins to speak in a deadpan monotone._

_" **My circus is involved in heists and museum robberies**. We're a circus of crime. **And my job is to be the thief** so I scale walls and sneak into buildings and take things using my acrobatics to not get caught. **I'm the Super High School Level Thief**."_

~ ~ ~

"Matsunaga wasn't joking." Yuuhi says simply. "He actually meant to tell you his secret, but seeing you laugh it off... Maybe he thought it was easier to play it off as a joke."

"Or he got self-conscious. Girls laughing at you is scary for guys." Yoshiki nods.

"Boys murdering us and stringing up our bodies is scary for us girls." Oboro smiles coldly and Yoshiki flinches.

"I..." Matsunaga speaks quietly. "I didn't kill her. She committed suicide."

"More importantly, we just proved that he couldn't have done it." Konoe says shaking his head. "All those papers are just proof that he did get punished. He couldn't hold onto his knife, so he couldn't open the grates. It wasn't just that he couldn't have his knife, it was **he couldn't hold any weapon** until a murder had been committed. So how would he have knocked her out, with his fists?"

"Or perhaps Matsunaga killed Ran, and then was able to retrieve his knife after." Oboro shrugs. "After a murder is committed, he would have been able to hold a weapon. Maybe he strangled her and chose hanging to disguise it. Finding his knife, opening the grate, climbing up with a dead body, and then arranging it so that it might be discovered... Seems possible then."

For a moment, everyone is lost in thought, staring at Matsunaga who is sweating heavily now.

Then, Shirahase looks to him.

"...Matsunaga, how did you hurt your hand?" Shirahase's serious expression... Even he flinches under the soulless gaze.

"I... Well... This is..."

"It was glass." Shoko says quickly. "I saw it myself. There was glass in the wounds. Broken glass."

"...There was broken glass on the third floor." Daisuke recalls. "Not just from the stuff that got knocked over, but there was some blood and broken glass on one of the windows."

"...That's not possible." Tsubaki frowns.

"I saw it. Matsuri did too. And Yuuhi. When we investigated the third floor." Daisuke nods. "There was definitely glass and blood."

"I don't care what you saw, it's not possible. It's the third floor!" Tsubaki laughs incredulously. "Today's restricted area is the third floor, and all that."

"Then... the killer punched out a window? Or something?" Jinichi furrows his brows. "Why would they?"

"No, not exactly. The killer punched _in_ the window! There was glass and blood on the inside, not outside." Daisuke nods.

"Why would the killer do that?" Kaya makes a face. "Why leave evidence?"

"Matsunaga, tell us what you were doing with the glass." Yuuhi says gently. "I think we'll understand you better then."

"I... You can't... You can't prove I did anything. Why should I tell you?!" Matsunaga snaps defensively. "You guys have been all up my ass trying to say I killed her, if I say anything else you're just going to use it against me! So, you figure it out!"

"M-Matsunaga..." Shoko stares at him. "You... You didn't kill Ran, did you?"

"Of course I didn't!"

"But you did go to the third floor, right?" Matsuri is back to smiling. "That's what the footprints on the wall were from!"

"...Tch!!"

"...Footprints... On the walls?" Yoshiki blinks. "But the third floor was off limits!"

"Exactly!" Tsubaki groans. "He couldn't have been there! He found a way to climb out the window with Ran and strung her up! No third floor needed!"

"No, not necessarily." Yuuhi smiles, finally understanding. "The rule was the third **floor**... No one was allowed to step foot on the third floor... But Matsunaga never touched the floor."

"...Wh... What?!" Tsubaki groans. "What does that even mean?!"

"Oooh, fancy party trick! The ninja ran along the walls~"

"...That's not possible!" Jinichi growls. His anger starts to build. "No human can run along walls!"

"No, but the third floor has corridors that are quite narrow." Oboro explains. "It's entirely possible that an Acrobat worthy of the name could jump from wall to wall, ever forward. If he got tired, he could simply rest by putting his hands on one side of the wall, and his feet on the other. Holding himself up."

"...That's... so unbelievable I can't!" Tsubaki shakes her head. "That's just impossible!"

"Really? A Super High School Level Acrobat who is also the Super High School Level Thief...? I would say if anyone could avoid the ground, he could. He must have some experience dodging motion sensors and the like."

"You still think I'm the Thief?" Matsunaga snickers. "I haven't seen any evidence of that. You want to explain how you're so sure? All you have are some papers that may or may not be my secret. How do I know one of you didn't just print off a bunch of copies with the computers on the first floor and make some shit up? Huh?!"

"...You're denying it?" Kaya sighs. "Come on, Matsunaga. It's okay! We... We... We just need to know what happened!"

"Prove it." Matsunaga grumbles. "If you've got proof, I'd like to hear it! You think I was on the third floor? How? I was nowhere near the roof at all! You can't put me there, you can't say I killed anyone! Just leave me alone and accept that Ijishima committed suicide!"

...

Why is he fighting this so hard?!

Kaya sighs.

"Wait. I remember something." Yoshiki nods. "I think I've got proof!"

"The hell you do!"

"Kay-... Nishikado. Remember the atrium?" Yoshiki nods again frantically. "On the first day we investigated. The newspaper!"

"...Newspaper...?"

And then... She does remember.

~ ~ ~

_"Hey, look. I found a newspaper." Kaya says as she pulls it off a kind of shelf for magazines, newspapers, the school paper, things like that. "Let's see... 'Master Thief Hiragumo Strikes Again: Priceless Jewels Stolen!' ...so dramatic."_

_"What's a... Hiragumo...?" Chisato quirks a brow._

_"If I'm not mistaken, it's a type of teakettle." Yoshiki says nodding thoughtfully. "Although there's a historical significance-"_

_"Boring!" Ayumu laughs._

_"Put that back, that's like seven months old." Matsunaga frowns back at her._

~ ~ ~

"So what? You found a newspaper? That doesn't prove anything!"

"...How did you know it was seven months old?" Yoshiki smirks.

"Wh...?!"

"Kay.... Nishikado..." Yoshiki struggles to keep up formality. "Nishikado said she found an article. She never read the date on it, she just said - Hey, look, stolen jewels... And you knew exactly when that happened. Because you did it!"

"...I... I could have read the paper. I might have..." Matsunaga is sweating. "You have no way of knowing!"

"Matsunaga." Shoko looks to him, pleadingly. "...Please, just tell us what happened... Okay?"

"...I... I... I didn't kill anyone... I swear..." Matsunaga trembles. "Please believe me. I know how it looks, but it's... It's not what you're thinking... I tried... I tried..."

"You're still claiming you didn't kill her?" Oboro frowns.

"...She committed suicide." He says simply. "I... I tried to save her..."

"What...?" Shoko looks stunned by this.

"...I'll... I'll tell you, just... Please, I didn't kill anyone. If you vote for me, you all die. I didn't say because you'd vote for me, but you're wrong. And you'll die if you do..."

"...Go ahead." Shirahase nods. "But if you're lying, we'll find out... You will face execution."

Matsunaga takes a deep breath and unbandages his hand. They're clearly cut marks, and jagged at that. Some are still bleeding a bit. His bandages weren't tied tightly enough.

"I don't know what time it was. But I was on the second floor, just... looking around. I... I'm used to the third floor. I couldn't get comfortable on the second floor, sleeping on the floor or tables. And that's when... I saw her body. She was swinging... in the window. And... And..."

"Why didn't you call for help?" Yuuhi stares hard at him.

"I didn't know she was dead! I thought... I thought she... Maybe I could..." Matsunaga begins to tear up. "I ran up the emergency stairs and up to the third floor, because I couldn't open the windows. I gave my knife to Mizuno because I was punished and... And so I... It's like you said. I jumped from wall to wall."

"...I still... can't believe that..." Jinichi flinches. He doesn't suspect Matsunaga is lying but... It sounds unreal.

"It's not that hard if you can build up momentum. I just had to worry about making sure I stayed to the narrow hallways. But I stayed on the third floor a lot, so... I knew the layout. And ... sometimes I would jump onto one of the bookcases or shelves and knock them down so I could take a few breaths before going on."

"You knocked down the shelves...?" Matsuri frowns. She thought she'd had him... Damn.

"...I wasn't thinking when I went to the third floor. I wasn't sure anyone would get to her in time but me. But I didn't know where Mizuno was and I didn't have time to get my knife back to save her! And when I didn't get in trouble for using the walls, I figured it was fine as long as I didn't touch the floors. So I'd knock something over and stand on it."

"Oh. Like a... Like those parkour video games where you climb up and then hit something and it's like, 'Now I can use that in case I fall'... That kind of thing!" Daisuke nods.

"Except this is real life!" Jinichi shouts at him.

"...It... Was difficult. Even for me... Even for... Hiragumo." He says, now crying. He runs a hand through his hair. "But... I really thought I could get there in time. I thought she.."

"You thought she was still alive." Yuuhi nods. "Or, you hoped she was."

"I know it was stupid. When I saw her... There was no Body Discovery Announcement."

"You need three people for that. You were just first or second." Oboro shakes her head. Pathetic.

"I know that! But... Maybe it meant she was still alive, I couldn't just let her die if there was a chance she was going to be okay. But when I got to the roof, I went to go get her but... She was... cold. I think... I think I was the first person to find the body."

"How utterly pointless." Oboro rolls her eyes.

"I was trying to help! Something you know nothing about!" Matsunaga snaps at her. "If she... If Ijishima were still alive, I couldn't just... I couldn't walk away without knowing. I wanted to help her!"

"And what happened next?"

"After the roof? ...I didn't want to leave her there. It... would have been wrong. She deserved some peace. You know... So... I figured if she was dead, then the punishment was up, so I went to cut her down."

"With what?" Shoko's eyes are wide as saucers.

Matsunaga holds out his injured hand as meek evidence.

"You broke the window to get a shard of glass." Shirahase nods, now understanding what had happened. "And in doing so, you cut your hand open."

"I wanted to cut her down. And there weren't cameras on the roof to catch me if it was technically breaking the rules, so I got a shard of glass, and I moved to cut her down but... The tablecloth snapped before I could. I tried to hoist her up to the roof and cut her down, but the thing snapped, and then I couldn't grab it in time...!"

"Oh, ho... That explains what I saw... Up, up, up... Zoom, bam. Splat." 

Matsuri nods, but it's not really clear what emotion she's trying to portray. Her words are melancholy despite the comical sound effects.

"And then... Everyone was around and I knew I'd be blamed if they saw me! Ijishima committed suicide, but how was I going to prove it?! Especially with Rivera afterwards, you'd all think I did that too! So I couldn't tell anyone. But... I didn't... I... I didn't... I wouldn't..."

"..."

Kaya watches him. Matsunaga... doesn't appear to be lying.

But he is a Thief. Maybe that's... an act? It's hard to tell.

"...It would appear we're back at square one." Yuuhi says as Matsunaga continues to cry before wiping his face. "Matsunaga couldn't have killed her."

"Why not?" Jinichi glares at Matsunaga. "That doesn't prove anything. It's all just conjecture. No one saw him, no one can decide that. His testimony doesn't prove anything."

"I'd say it does. And not just that, but his circumstances." Yoshiki takes a big puff of air. 

"...Circumstances?"

Yoshiki nods and continues to speak.

"Matsunaga had no way to get up to the roof or open the grates. We never found anything that would have worked for that. And if we're saying that Matsunaga killed Ran... Ijishima, we can't really prove how, or why. And since he couldn't get up to the roof without pulling some ninja tricks... It'd be weird for him to do that with a dead body and a tablecloth too, hopping from wall to wall. It'd be really hard with a dead body strapped to him somehow. There are better ways to hang a body."

"You mean... with him being punished, and without a knife... He'd have to go through a lot of extra effort to kill Ran? That's what you mean?"

"That's right, Ebihara. Even just going along the walls would have been difficult if he'd had a dead body tied to himself or something. Or unconscious. I don't know that yet, still it's a lot of effort."

"Even just being seen with a dead body would be a risk. We don't know where Ran was killed." Oboro nods, utterly bored.

"...I... I do see your point." Jinichi nods, reluctantly. "And... I suppose... Admitting to being on the roof, trying to cut her down... Admitting it would only incriminate himself at this point. Sorry, man. I jumped the gun again."

"Then..." Matsunaga looks up. "You believe me...?"

"It's the truth, isn't it?" Shoko smiles.

"...Yeah. It's the truth. I swear."

"Then we believe you." She says simply. "Monokuma, can I be excused from my seat to rewrap his hand?"

"I'll allow it~ But only because you solved one mystery! Now you've got two left!"

"...Two?" Kaya clenches her teeth as Kaya moves to help rebind the bandages on Matsunaga's hand.

"The first one is obvious: Who killed Ijishima?" Konoe says decisively.

"And the second would be what was going on with Yuuhi." Daisuke takes a breath.

Daisuke flinches at Konoe's appreciative look. The two are still in sync, even now.

"She... She didn't commit suicide...?" Matsunaga looks over to them.

"...If she did kill herself, she'd have no way to get up to the roof. Unless you think she made it up to the third floor by herself somehow. And dead bodies can't move so..." Konoe shrugs. "She had no tools, the third floor was locked down... It'd be hard for her to string herself up there."

"I... I thought since she was suicidal she just walked up to the third floor. Maybe Monokuma would punish her, but he'd let her get up to the roof because punishment is execution anyway... I..." 

Matsunaga thinks it over. It was flimsy logic, and he knew it. But...

"In other words, either Ran killed herself and someone fucked with her body... Or someone killed her and tried to make it look like she committed suicide." Kaya narrows her eyes. "And the only person I know of that fucks with things..."

"Me?" Matsuri laughs. "That's just profiling! I'm being typecast..."

"Did you do it, Matsuri?" Shirahase gives her a dangerous look.

"There's no reason to glare at me, Shark. It does nothing." Her cheery demeanor slips. "And besides, I want to know what happened to Ran more than any of you fuckwits, so don't go accusing me. She was the only friend I had in here, and when I find out which one of you did it, I'm going to laugh when you get executed."

"...You know, it's scary how many secret identities our classmates have." Yoshiki laughs. "...Shark... Hiragumo... Crazypants..."

"Mockingbird!" She corrects him.

"Moving along..." Yuuhi says quietly. "There is something that sounded a bit strange when we were discussing things about Ijishima. Ebihara, you got rid of all the allergy medication?"

"That's right." Shoko returns to her assigned seat. "I flushed it."

"You didn't keep any of it...?"

"No. I mean, I kept some of the non-drowsy stuff. But I've got that in one of the lockers. Just in case someone actually has allergies. But no sleeping pills."

"Then, there is something strange."

"...What?"

"...Who put me to sleep?" Yuuhi asks, genuinely, to the room. He glances around the different assigned seats, searching for answers in their words and stares.

"That's right. Yuuhi got knocked out!" Daisuke nods quickly.

"Not knocked out, he got drugged." Konoe corrects him. "Someone was able to find some sleeping pills or whatever to use on him."

"How do you know that?" Jinichi looks to him quickly.

"Because there's no other explanation." Shoko says shaking her head. "You weren't there so you wouldn't know. He had no head wounds or any other marks. The only thing he had was some rope burn from the noose, and a little bruising. Nothing else would have rendered him unconscious. Plus... He was kind of dazed for a while. Loopy, you know?"

"Loopy?"

"Groggy. Drowsy. Not quite high, but sort of like drunk...?"

"Who could have done that?" Yoshiki furrows a brow. "Were there chemicals someone used? Like chloroform? Or...?"

"Nothing like that was found anywhere." Shoko considers. "I couldn't say it's impossible, but I never saw anything like chloroform anywhere. If the killer did find some, where would it have been? And where did it go...?"

"We could be overthinking it." Jinichi says quickly. "Let's start with what there was, not with what there wasn't. Sleeping pills could have been used, somehow. So... How were they used?"

"There's an easy way to figure that out." Kaya says crossing her arms. "Did you eat or drink anything before you passed out, Yuuhi?"

"..."

"Why are you asking that?" Tsubaki scoffs.

"That's just basic survival knowledge, especially something a girl would know, right? If someone offers you a drink, you have to be suspicious." Kaya says confidently. "You have to be mindful of your surroundings."

"I suppose if anyone knows that, it's you..." Tsubaki's words cut Kaya very deeply.

"H-Hey... Let's not fight. Just..." Yoshiki looks over to Yuuhi. "How about it? Was anything spiked?"

"...Utsumi and I were eating just before nighttime, then she left. But she couldn't have added anything to my food."

"If I were going to kill you, I wouldn't have any need of that." Shirahase's smile is not comforting.

"...And then there was tea..." His eyes turn to Oboro. "...You offered me the tea."

"Did I?" She smiles.

"...Did you drug me?"

"How could I have? There were no drugs to drug you with. There were no sleeping pills; Shoko said as much herself. Or are you accusing me of giving you potent chamomille?"

"No, that's wrong!" Kaya stares her down. "Thinking about it, Oboro's the only one who could have drugged Yuuhi!"

"Are you accusing me of murder, too? That's not very smart. I killed no one."

"You were the first one to have gotten the allergy medication. You told us about it and that's why Shoko got rid of it. In fact, you're the only one who could have some left! Because you offered it to Yuuhi in the first place! The only reason you didn't was because your room on the first floor was locked down. But now that the third floor was locked down, you could go back and get them!"

~ ~ ~

_"Would you like something to sleep?" Oboro offers gently. " **I have some sleeping pills**."_

_"What?! Since when?" Shoko stares hard at her._

_"...There's allergy medicine in the school store. Warning: Side effects include drowsiness..." She says quietly. "I figured that it would be hard to sleep with all the stress so..."_

~ ~ ~

"..." She shrugs. "And here I thought you were catatonic."

"That's right. I remember that." Shoko nods and then turns to Oboro. "You knocked him out?!"

"...And did what?" Oboro smiles. "Our beloved Linguist is not dead. What crime are you accusing me of?"

"You-!"

"As I understood it, only someone who **fulfills a murder will be executed**... What crime have I committed?"

"You drugged him! And then you tried to kill him!"

"...Evidence, please. Your accusations bore me." Oboro smiles.

"When we got to the track, Rivera was there." Konoe thinks back. "And he had the rope around his neck. And the scoreboard was going up..."

"The scoreboard?" Jinichi frowns. He'd been only on one half of the investigation this time.

"The scoreboard in the track area, you can raise and lower it with a winch, like we did for volleyball. It might be for practice matches, or maybe it's times for running...?" Kaya explains. "I've never been in the Student Center before so, I'm really not sure. The important thing is that there's a winch that raises and lowers it."

"Someone had set the winch so that it would raise the scoreboard. And the noose attached to the scoreboard would also go up. As the winch moves, the scoreboard rises... And the noose would have hanged him."

"How did the killer get the winch to go like that?" Yoshiki questions.

"I think the winch has some kind of timer on it." Oboro mentions. "You can probably set it to raise and lower at specific times. It's very futuristic. Or, that's what I gathered when I raised it for volleyball."

Kaya makes a face of disbelief. Why is she being vague about it now? She was the one who told them there was a timer in the first place! She... She was the one who had been working the winch...?!

"Then the killer wouldn't have had to have been at the track to get the scoreboard to go up... is what you're saying." Jinichi mumbles. "...Wait, why is she giving us answers? Aren't you the one accused?!"

"Assuming it was one killer, someone could have killed Ijishima first at 5:30AM..." Shirahase checks the times. "And then set the winch to raise the scoreboard. Or they could have set the winch in advance, to kill Rivera while they killed Ijishima."

"And I have absolutely no reason to want him dead." Oboro smiles. "Or are you forgetting that I'm the one who led the rescue party?"

"...Yeah. That's true enough." Konoe grumbles. "She even got him down in the first place."

"What? How?" Tsubaki's eyes widen.

"She shot an arrow."

"... _She_ did? Not... Not Daisuke?" Tsubaki looks to Daisuke. "Not the Archer...?"

"At the time, I was still under the punishment, so I had Konoe hold my bow and quiver. When we found Ran we..." He tries to think back on it. "We hadn't found the others yet, and we wanted to figure out where everyone was. Oboro was also worried someone might hide evidence, so we ran around looking for people."

"And we settled on the track, which is where Rivera was." Konoe nods. "The scoreboard was still going up and Tendo told him to fire an arrow at the rope to cut it."

"That should have been an easy shot for the Super High School Level Archer! Especially with a longbow." Jinichi nods."I know you're not feeling well... But... Tendo...?"

"Hm?"

"You shot the arrow...?"

"...My hands get..." Daisuke says quietly. "Well, you all saw my secret so... Sometimes my hands go numb. That's just... how it works. Sometimes it's too painful to... stretch the bowstring. And when my hands are numb, I can't get the grip right... or aim the arrow..."

"..."

"Listen, could we just not talk about it? I haven't been feeling up to firing arrows since we first got here, you... You guys saw as much with Monokuma and..." Daisuke suddenly looks up, angrily. "And it's not relevant. Oboro shot him down, leave it at that."

"Daisuke..."

So, that was why Daisuke's hands had been so shaky lately. Kaya can understand, sort of. She didn't know the pain aspect of it, but...

If she had been cycling, and her legs suddenly went numb... There'd be no way she could keep pedaling effectively. Her legs would give out, and she'd go crashing down.

For someone who judged everything by his hands... How could he have fired the arrow straight...?

"What? Did I miss a fun reveal? No one told me about this~" Matsuri laughs.

"All you know how to do is be mean to others, no one wanted to tell you." Konoe says with a bitter tone.

"That's why it's a secret. If people... No matter how hard I work, or how much I practice... No one would trust me to win a competition."

Whether or not that was true was immaterial. It was what Daisuke believed.

"...But, you did fire your bow earlier." Yoshiki looks astonished. "At the Mono-men you..."

"...It doesn't happen all the time. That's why it's so frustrating." Daisuke looks away. "Some days I'm fine, and other days I can't fire an arrow. I never really know unless I've got really bad pain, but sometimes it just creeps up on me. When I can't sleep, or I'm stressed..."

"And all you have been is stressed." Konoe says quietly.

"..."

"I wish you would have told me earlier." Konoe looks to him seriously. "It's not that bad of a secret, if you'd told me I would have helped or-"

"I don't want to hear you." He says sharply. "I don't want pity from someone like you."

"..." Konoe opens his mouth to say something, but looks away.

"Buuuut... Oboro fired the arrow. How lovely." Matsuri snickers. "What was the point of even having you there, Daisuke? Useless!"

"Shut up." He glares at her. "Don't call me useless."

"...Wait... What do you mean, Matsuri?" Kaya looks to her.

"Hm? What do you mean what do I mean? Oboro clearly asked Daisuke to go with her for a reason."

"...What?"

"You don't remember? She specifically asked Daisuke to go with her. And Konoe too, probably because he had the bow. You tagged along just because."

"I wanted people who could defend me in case some killer were loose. Is that so hard to believe? Are you not the same way? I simply asked the two strongest people in the room, and Kaya came along. And if Daisuke... Tatsuma were punished, he was clearly off the hook once Ran's body was discovered." Oboro chuckles at her.

"I see right through that flimsy excuse. Wasn't it very timely that you made it to Yuuhi?"

"..." Konoe looks at her, confused. And then to Oboro. "...You led us to the track. You ignored the other rooms... Why?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"No, I was there. We fucking saw you. You had us run past some of the rooms before you ran right into the track. And that's... What's with you?!" Daisuke narrows her eyes.

"What's with me...? I don't know what you mean...? Are you accusing me of saving someone's life? Guilty."

"Oh, my, my, my I see, I see..." Matsuri snickers. "You drugged Yuuhi so you could rescue him from the noose later? You brought an Archer so you could shoot him down before he died...? What a frightening plan."

"I fail to see how any of that is evidence."

"Tendo..." Shirahase looks in her direction. "...You used your sleeping pills to incapacitate him. And then you set it up so that Sakurai and Tatsuma could save him. For what purpose?"

"..."

"But in the end Daisuke was fucking useless as usual, so she had to do it herself!" Matsuri laughs as Daisuke beings to tremble. "Where'd you learn to fire an arrow? It must have been a hard shot~"

"...Not particularly." Oboro smiles. "I did practice archery once. I practice many things. Is that a crime?"

"You're... not an athlete." Yoshiki laughs uncomfortably. "How did you make that shot...?"

"You practice until you can aim. It's simple. You shoot the bow, you miss, and one day you stop missing. It's not difficult to see when you're wrong. You do it until you're better. Same as anything."

"..." Kaya looks at her dumbfounded.

What kind of training is that? There's... There's definitely more than just aiming until you aim well, isn't there?!

"I'd say Miss Weather Lady is a different kind of mimic... A scary kind of mimic!" Matsuri laughs wildly.

"What are you implying, troll doll?"

"...I bet you could do some of the things we can. Not as good as us, but well enough. Archery, for sure. How are you at Ventriloquism?"

Oboro gives an enigmatic smile.

"Are you trying to put me to the test...?"

"Holy shit... I am so fucking lost..." Tsubaki groans.

"My guess is that Oboro knows how to do some of our tricks just by having watched us. She's got a good mind on her."

"That means very little coming from someone as ugly as you, but thank you."

"...Then, you're saying she mimicked Daisuke's ability with his bow?" Konoe shakes his head. "Is that possible?"

"Tendo Oboro is a plagiarist." Jinichi says quietly. "But she passed all her exams to stay here... Did she... adapt to be the Super High School Level Meteorologist...?! She faked her way here and then... earned her place after the fact?!"

"Or maybe I just learned how to shoot an arrow long ago. And maybe I slipped by Hope's Peak authorities and the school board because they were terrible at their jobs, and maybe the judges knew nothing about weather phenomena so I could say whatever I liked. Does it matter at this point what I can or cannot do? All that matters is I have experience firing arrows. And I did it well this time. Truthfully, I shouldn't have had to. But, Matsuri was right about one thing... Tatsuma... Daisuke proved useless."

"Hey." Konoe levels a glare at her. "That's not fair. He's... He's got a disease."

"Useless is still useless. If a chair has a broken leg, it's still useless. It doesn't matter if it's not the chair's fault."

Daisuke shakes, ashamed and mortified.

"You can be a real bitch, you know that?" Shoko frowns. "We've all been really nice to you about your secret but you just can't seem to be nice to anyone else." 

"Then tell us your secret, dear. Let's see how nice I can be. You promised Matsunaga you'd share yours? Why not share with the class...?"

"This has nothing to do with me!"

"We're getting nowhere with this." Yuuhi says at once. "Let us say, then, for the sake of argument, that Tendo did try to drug me and did the stuff with the scoreboard. Why save me?"

"To get a favor?" Matsuri smirks. "A bodyguard?"

"Rivera's not an athlete." Jinichi says shaking his head. "Why ask a bodyguard who isn't a boydguard?"

"Or she's just fucking twisted." Matsunaga says angrily.

"You dropped a dead body three stories because of your bumbling. Are you one to criticize me, Thief?"

"That...! That wasn't..."

"And further, if I had wanted to kill Ran - the actual, very **dead** victim in this case - I supposedly had enough medication to down one person, yes? Why wouldn't I have done that to Ran instead? And if I'm so skilled at mimicking abilities, could I not have scaled the walls with Ran in hand...? If my ability, as you call it, is so overwhelmingly immense, I should have a great understanding of how to do it from our Thief. Right? Or from Tsubaki and her skills with rock climbing?"

"..."

"Nothing left to say? I thought not. I killed no one."

"...What an odd personality." Shirahase sighs.

"Uh... Well, you're not wrong, but it's still sad when you're the one saying it..." Yoshiki shakes his head.

"...Maybe Oboro never intended to kill anyone." Kaya says simply.

"Ooh. A new theory?" Matsuri chuckles. "What's your evidence?"

"I... I don't have evidence per se, but... Oboro, if she did drug Yuuhi, she had every chance to kill him. Instead she tied him to the scoreboard and fucked around with the winch and then... Left to get help for him. And when Daisuke couldn't, she did it herself."

"Then I am innocent?"

"...You're no killer at least. Not yet." Shirahase scowls. "But then I wonder what her real plan was. It seems too coincidental to have two victims of hanging."

"And she couldn't have killed Ran because she had no way to get up to the roof at all." Shoko nods. "We still didn't figure out how anyone could have done that."

"Well, then. If we're done accusing me..." Oboro smiles fakely. "Should we not discuss who could have killed Ran?"

"...Meaning what?" Jinichi looks to her. "You're still saying you didn't do it? Even after what you pulled with the scoreboard?"

"Allegedly."

"..." 

Yuuhi looks away, feeling foolish. He'd thought she was warming up to him, but was this just part of a bigger plot?

"Matsunaga used his knife to open the grates, correct? Without his knife, he could not. So... Assuming no one else ninja-jumped from one wall to the other on the third floor, how did the killer get Ran from the second floor to the roof?" Oboro says quietly. "Regardless of my alleged climbing prowess."

"But..."

"The point is, I had no way of doing this crime. And there must be someone who could."

"...What are you getting at?" Tsubaki snarls at her.

"What I'm saying is... We need to find a culprit who is both capable of lugging a body up somehow, and this culprit also had a way to get the grates open on the windows. And if I am innocent, which I am, then I have a vested interest in finding out who the killer is, just like everyone else!"

"..."

"I simply can't be executed for a crime I did not commit." Oboro continues as everyone watches the strangest display they've seen from her with wide eyes. "I refuse."

"Th-Then..." Tsubaki sighs. "We need to figure out who could get up to the roof. And back down again."

"And how."

"There was the tablecloth." Matsunaga says, thinking over what could be used. "I had my scarf with me the entire time, so I know that wasn't used. Although I couldn't use it myself. I worried Monokuma might think it was considered a weapon, like... strangling people kind of weapon."

"A rope then?" Jinichi looks around. "In that sense, Tatsuma and Matsunaga had no way of doing this, so they're clear? And... Rivera is as well, probably."

"There was rope in the utility room. Coils of rope. I don't know if they were used though." Konoe shrugs.

"The tablecloth would be a bad choice. It's not designed to support weight. Over time it would snap, like it did. I suppose it's possible to use a rope, but we have no clear idea. As far as blankets go, you can tell it's flimsy and thin. Practically sheer."

Kaya can agree to that.

But even so, they aren't making any headway. Silence reigns again.

"There is also one large question that I have." Shirahase takes a deep breath. "If it was impossible for Ran to have been drugged, and she did not commit suicide... What was the actual murder weapon? Did the killer make her unconscious before she was hanged, or was there something else?"

"Like I said, bruising could have been easily caused by the fall... I think... But..." Shoko pauses. "Was that a misdirect...?"

"What?" Yoshiki looks to her. "Did you think of something?"

"...If I were the killer, I'd want to disguise the cause of death. By making people think it's a suicide, I'd effectively be getting away with murder. So... It would be an injury that could be mistaken for falling. It's a bit flimsy as far as logic goes, I know, but... If I'm passing off a body as a suicide victim, I'm not going to stab her, right? So... Falling...? Or a neck injury...?"

"That assumes that the body would fall." Tsubaki frowns.

"Well, the tablecloth isn't sturdy, like I said. I wouldn't climb with one. Especially when it's going to rub against the side of the building, it'd shred and fray. That plus gravity..." Matsunaga shrugs. "I don't know."

"When Ijishima was killed, it was technically nighttime still. I think the killer intended to have her body stay out there until gravity did the work. Especially if there was rope to use..."

"Assuming the killer knew about the rope." Kaya shrugs.

"They'd have to, wouldn't they?" Oboro continues on where Konoe left off. "Matsunaga said he wouldn't climb the building with a tablecloth. Then obviously, you'd use rope to climb instead. And then once you were done, you'd climb back in. And then reel the rope back in after you untied it. Don't you get them in the same room? How could you not see them?"

"...But she was tied to the roof door with the tablecloth. Are we saying the killer climbed with the rope and was holding onto the tablecloth...?"

"I'm not sure I totally get it, but..." Shoko looks to Matsunaga. "Going back to what was said, what kind of tool would you need to open the grates? Maybe that'll help us narrow down who could have done what."

"They aren't locked, so it's not really lockpicking... But they're tough bolts. You'd need something like a bolt wrench. I used one of the attachments on my knife to do it... It's... how I get into places." He says sheepishly.

"To rob people." Jinichi gives him a dirty look.

"Which is not murder, so let's not talk about it now." Matsunaga glares at him.

"...Have you seen anything around that could undo the bolts, Matsunaga?" Yuuhi asks quietly, gears turning. "You're a Master Thief, you'd know better than anyone here."

"Only perhaps the wrench that..." He looks to Kaya and then looks away. The... wrench that killed Ayumu, he means. "...But that was rusted and probably no good."

"Where did you put your knife, Matsunaga?" Oboro smiles politely.

"It's in my pocket." He quirks a brow. "Why wouldn't I have it now?"

"No, when you were punished and couldn't have any weapons. Where did you put it?"

"I gave it to Mizuno who..." His brow twitches. "Who... gave it back... afterwards."

All eyes suddenly turn to Tsubaki, who turns a deathly pale.

"I... I didn't..."

"But it's within the realm of possibility." Yuuhi says, composed and blank expression. "Matsunaga says he gave you his knife. If you misplaced it or put it somewhere, you'd have to tell us where you found it again to give it back."

"...Mizuno." Shirahase looks to her, the dark aura creeping out more than before. "...Help us to understand."

"Like I said. I didn't..."

"Out of all of the people here who could climb up to the roof, you're certainly in that list, no?" Oboro watches her squirm. "Matsunaga is innocent. Tatsuma is useless with upper body strength at the moment. You're not an athlete, but you do know rock climbing... Wasn't that what you said before...?"

~ ~ ~

_"How'd she get all the way up there?!" Kaya practically screams in frustration looking up the wall._

_Third floor, no, the roof. And... How to do that with the third floor restricted?_

_"I dunno." Tsubaki shakes her head. "I mean, Matsunaga or I maybe could've gotten up there. **I've got some rock climbing experience but you'd need a rope and some other stuff**. Ran though... Unless she prayed to the god of gravity..."_

_"Don't be morbid." Oboro frowns._

~ ~ ~

"Why are you accusing me...? What did I ever do to you...?!" Tsubaki glares at her.

"Isn't it time you gave up?"

"Shut up! I didn't do anything!"

"...Tsubaki..." Kaya can only stare at her in shock. Out of all of the people here, Tsubaki never seemed a murdering type but... neither did Chisato or Ayumu.

"Stop looking at me like that, you skank!"

"Hey. There's no need to be so unkind." Konoe says gently.

"Why don't you moon over your useless feeble boyfriend, you fucking hippie homo clown?!"

Tsubaki's words catch Konoe totally off-guard, and even Daisuke. They're more surprising than hurtful.

"...Holy shit. It was you." Yoshiki's face goes blank and empty. "You... You killed her..."

"I'm going to need more evidence than that before I allow you to say things like that!" She launches back at him. "Why... Why would I? How did I? Come on. You're playing detective, explain it!"

"Tsubaki would have had to have used some kind of blunt object." Shoko says thoughtfully. "Something that would match Ran's injuries."

"Unless she got hurt when she fell because the idiot ninja couldn't pull her up!"

"...That..." Matsunaga is shuddering with rage. "...You... You took my knife and you... You did that... to her?! And you gave it back to me?! You were the one going up and down saying it had to be me, but it was you this whole time! You were... trying to frame me?! Did you get the idea when I asked you to hold onto my knife?!"

"It would have been a quicker case, had you not acted the way you did." Oboro smiles, always smiling. "Your foolish desire to save a dead girl only made you a target."

"...!"

"That's... That wasn't his fault. He was trying to do the right thing!" Kaya can see realization and disbelief dawn on Matsunaga.

"It doesn't matter what he was trying to do. It only matters that he made things more complicated. If he'd left her alone, we only would have had the one mystery of how she got up there to contend with... Not the shenanigans on the third floor, or the other false clues you made."

"...Fuck you, Tendo." He glares hard at her. "I tried to cut her down because I still have my humanity. I thought she committed suicide. She didn't deserve to be left out there until birds came and pecked at her! I only regret that I didn't get to actually pull her up!"

"Instead, you altered the crime scene and turned her into a rotten tomato going splat on the sidewalk. Good work."

"Hey." Matsuri narrows her eyes at Oboro. "That's a dead girl. You show some respect, or I kill you next."

"That's funny coming from the one who tried to blackmail one classmate and lock another in a freezer. Especially one who hits people and plays in blood for 'funsies'... was it?"

"Ran was different. And she was better than you!"

"And yet. She's dead. So, if I'm worse, I'll take that as a compliment." She laughs and Matsuri actually looks enraged.

"That's enough, all of you." Yoshiki interjects. "We still have things to discuss. Now is not the time for this."

"I agree!" Jinichi says loudly. "For now, we need to figure out how Mizuno did it!"

"I didn't." Tsubaki glowers at him. "And you couldn't prove I did anyway."

"We don't need to prove it, we just need to vote." Oboro laughs. "I think there's plenty of evidence against you. I know I could vote quite confidently."

"Oh my~ Are we calling for a vote~?" Monokuma snickers.

"Not yet." Kaya says looking at the rest of them. "We can't afford to make a mistake. If there's the smallest chance it's not Tsubaki, then we need to discuss it."

"...Very well. She does deserve a trial, as it were." Oboro consents as if she's royalty allowing it to happen.

"There was one thing I didn't understand, so maybe one of you does." Konoe looks to the rest of them. "When we investigated the utility room, there was one of the billiard balls in there. Was... that one of you? Did one of you put it there? Where did it come from? And why?"

"What?!" Tsubaki shouts and it nearly makes Konoe lose his balance.

"It... Well..." Konoe has been temporarily rendered unable to speech by Tsubaki's outbursts.

"Yeah. I saw it too. I don't know where it came from." Kaya looks at the picture on her phone. "It was ball 14. I didn't know if it meant anything so I took a picture."

"...Now that you say it, there was something strange." Yoshiki says thinking back to something. "When we all went to the rec rooms on the first floor... We couldn't find any of the balls. Remember? It was why we did volleyball instead."

"...Meaning what?"

"...Just that it's strange because when we went out the first floor window to examine the body, I think the balls were back."

"You think?" Jinichi glares at him.

"W-Well... We could ask to go back upstairs and see? If there's a ball missing, we'll know. If Monokuma allows...?"

"We don't know what the ball means, so what would that even get us?" Daisuke sighs.

"Is it possible to use the balls as a weapon?" Oboro asks leadingly, like she knows something.

"What, like throw them at people? I mean, you could..." Kaya thinks. "But that'd be a lot of things to throw at someone. How would you...?"

"...!" Shoko grimaces. "Someone... Someone stained my shirt..."

"Shoko, we're trying to avoid death could you please fucking focus?"

"N-No! I ...Kaya... It... My clothes got... stained red. There was something red in the washing machine with my clothes!"

"...I don't get it."

"What if someone... Put the balls in like... a sheet or bag or cloth.. And clubbed someone?"

"Wh... What?!"

"...She's implying that someone put a bloody item in the washing machine with her clothes, and the colors leeched out. But the only person with fresh wounds was... Ran." Oboro suggests. "And Matsunaga I suppose, but it was clearly glass according to Shoko."

"Wait, wait, wait. How are we going from billiard balls to sheets and clubbing people?" Jinichi is lost again.

"The balls were missing, and then they got put back except for one, we assume. Which was in the utility room, which also had the linens." Konoe looks to him. "It might have happened that way... But I don't know why anyone would leave a ball behind, that seems... Weird."

"It does." Oboro nods. "Because I put it there."

"What...?" Konoe turns to her, confusion plain on his face.

"I also put the bloody cloth in the washing machine with Shoko's things. I didn't use detergent. I thought it might be a useful clue."

"Y... You told me to check the washing machines too! In case someone changed clothes!" Shoko points at her. "That was what you were doing...?! Why?!"

"...Because I have a vested interest in not being executed. That's why I left you so many clues. I wanted you to stop her." Oboro laughs. "Otherwise, I would have been executed for sure."

"...!" Jinichi suddenly slams his hand on his wooden stand, which makes Yoshiki jolt. "O-Oh... I'm sorry! I... I thought of something!"

"...Did you." Matsuri looks dubious.

"What ball was left behind?" Jinichi asks.

"...Uh..." Kaya looks at her phone again. "It's... 14."

"Then it's Mizuno! Mizuno did it!"

"Huh...?! What kind of logic is that, Jinichi?! Did you see a bird outside? Gosh I guess the killer is Shoko for some reason! Wow, so brilliant. Good job."

"...14 is Mizuno's number on the Class Roster." Yuuhi nods quietly. "That is what you noticed, Hirano?"

Jinichi is pointing and nodding furiously.

"Wha...?!" Even Tsubaki is flummoxed by this and Oboro begins to laugh. "What did you do?!"

"...I was afraid the clue might have been too subtle. I praise you for figuring it out. Especially you."

"...I really have no fucking idea what you're doing, but why are you pointing all the fingers at her?" Daisuke glares at her.

"Because she did it. And... Because she'd kill again if she had to. I'm weeding out a problem." Oboro looks to Shirahase. "You of all people should be happy."

"...You were the one who drugged me." Yuuhi stares at Oboro squarely. "You set up that whole mess. And you left time to save me, too. Not because you cared if I lived. And not because you're a killer... Rather, because you _didn't_ want to be a killer."

"What, what?" Matsuri laughs. "I feel like I'm missing something~"

"...When did Mizuno first approach you with her plan?" He stares at her.

"Hey, Yuuhi, are you...?" Kaya questions.

"Tendo knows many very minute details about this case. Enough to know who did it, how, and where to point blame. She's either psychic, or she was almost an accomplice."

"An accomplice?!" Jinichi roars. "Wait... Almost?"

"The day Konoe and Matsuri had an outburst, was it? Poor Tsubaki heard about it. The way Ran mentioned the strong athletes ganging up on the weak... She was very upset. Weren't you, Tsubaki?"

"Shut up!"

"...She seemed to believe someone would kill again. She wanted to make it out of the game. To pass the Final Exam, so to speak. So she asked me... She told me I was the only one she could trust. She wanted us to win. Together. Win the game, I suppose."

"Wh...?!"

"...The boys are stronger than her, she said, and mostly athletes. The girls aren't trustworthy, she said. Shirahase wouldn't go for the plan. Neither would Kaya now. Shoko was too much of a wild card. Matsuri was too concerned about her own survival. And Ran... absolutely wouldn't have gone through with it."

"...She... She thought she had to murder someone?" Kaya is trembling all over.

"After all the things that happened, I can't blame her. Daisuke and Konoe, Matsuri and Shirahase, Ayumu and Chisato... Friend against friend, and death had already happened. I suppose that makes me a convenient choice."

~ ~ ~

_"You're not serious."_

_"We'll die in here. I'm not strong like the guys! Even Yoshiki could... And Jinichi's temper? What's going to stop one of them from deciding we need to die?"_

_"...You ARE serious, aren't you!"_

_"You and me are the weakest ones here, aside from Ran! You know that, I know that... They know that. We... We can join forces. If we both commit a murder, we split the vote. At least one of us gets to go free, you know that! At least! Maybe both of us!"_

_"...Who are you going to kill?"_

_"I... I don't know. Ayumu went after Chisato because he thought she was weak but... she overpowered him. I think I need to go for the weakest one here."_

_"You're going to kill Ran, then? Is that really a good idea?"_

_"...I don't know. Maybe. I... I need to get out of here before someone kills me! Don't you get it?"_

_"I get that you're scared. But you need to calm yourself. You aren't being rational."_

_"No one else gets it, Oboro. Everyone else is out for themselves! You're the only one I can trust in this. If... If you don't help me, then... then I might be the next person to die!"_

_"Then you'll die. So what?"_

_"So what?! We're being slaughtered! How many weak ones have to die before the athletes turn on each other? You're on the chopping block too!"_

_"..."_

_"You know that, right? You know someone could easily try to kill you."_

_"That doesn't mean they'd easily win."_

_"...I gotta get out of her. Before someone tries to kill me. You must feel the same way, you must! We... We've got to win! We've got to win this... Please, help me win."_

~ ~ ~

"...She'd planned to kill Ran all along." Daisuke is shaking.

"And she would have too, if it weren't for Shoko. Ran ended up getting Lucky, as it were."

"Wh...? Me...?"

"Because you switched out the medications. She was hoping to make it look like an overdose, I would wager." 

Yuuhi sees Shoko begin to tremble. Exactly what she hadn't wanted to happen.

"She probably made her some tea, and ground up all of the pills... How she couldn't tell they were Vitamin C just by the smell alone..." Oboro shrugs. "Utterly incompetent."

Konoe flinches. The tea. The orange. The overwhelming citrus taste in the green tea?!

She'd planned it as far back as the day they played volleyball...?

"And then... She found her still alive?" Jinichi cringes. That was why she smelled like orange.

"...That must have been frightening." Daisuke adds sarcastically. "She must have panicked and had to think of something else."

"Her plans were already in motion. I had no idea when she planned to strike. I only knew the victim intended. And had I told on her, she would have been... very hard to control then."

"For fuck's sake, Oboro, don't decide things like that on your own!"

"How long until she killed someone simply so that no one else would kill her?"

"..."

"Her goal was to make it look like suicide. I was to help as an **accomplice** and then commit my own murder to split the vote if suspicion fell on her. I was to cover up, and assist and she would assist me if I needed after my murder. Which is why I had the billiard balls in my possession, and the cloth she'd used to club Ran with. And that's why I put them in places you'd find them."

"Oh! She wrapped up the balls in a cloth and used it like a club! And then... cleaned up the blood later?" Jinichi says, but most of the room had figured out as much.

"You...!"

"...I didn't know how things would go, or how she planned to do it until she came to me and told me it was done. And she gave me things to dispose of... so I put the cloth in Shoko's laundry, I placed all the balls back except one, to be put somewhere we'd definitely look after the rope and the tablecloth were used..."

"Why did you pick... me?" Yuuhi looks like he's... disgusted.

"It was obvious. To gain her trust. You led the debate in the last class. You led the investigation. Your tricks and traps caught Matsuri, and then you also helped Kaya realize it was Chisato. I chose you because if I did decide to kill you, I'd eliminate the smartest person in the room... And you're a boy. Tsubaki would have been more at ease if there was one less rowdy boy around to potentially kill her..."

"..."

"But mostly, you're smart. And it was better to have you out of the investigation, at least just to put her at ease." She smiles. "In the end, I saved you because I'm no killer. If only the Archer were still of any use it would have been cleaner..."

"You seriously better stop fucking saying that." Konoe glares at her.

"Then we'd go around accusing each other without getting anywhere." Jinichi grumbles. "You don't have any faith in us do you?!"

"Nope, not one bit. But you did do very well this time, Hirano. I am impressed!"

"Shut your mouth, I don't want your compliments!"

"Truthfully, most of you are so concerned with your own issues that you can't work together to save your lives. And half of you are dumber than bags of billiard balls." Oboro laughs bitterly. "...But even so... I never wanted to kill anyone. So... I laid my own traps."

"...It was all deliberate." Kaya frowns. "You... You knew she was going to hang her to make it look like suicide. Once an overdose failed, you knew suicide was the only way she'd try to have it go because that was still her plan."

"True. And she told me she put back a rope so... It was obvious it was hanging. I just used the same rope she did to climb, and used it for the scoreboard. I thought maybe there might be some evidence on the rope, but no one looked at that so... Oh well."

"So you put Yuuhi in a noose to make us question if Ran's suicide even _was_ a suicide!"

Yuuhi is aghast. Even he hadn't thought of that.

"...Your intellect is also surprising me, Kaya. I'm very impressed!"

"Save your praise, you stuck-up bitch! What the fuck?! We went through this once already, why didn't you just tell us what she was going to do?!"

"...Why would I? I told you already. She was a problem." Oboro states simply. "No one could trust her. Surely you understand, Shirahase."

"..." Shirahase, who had been quiet until now, slowly looks away. "I do applaud you for your motivation. But the way you make it a game for yourself... is abhorrent."

"Oh?"

"Putting together all of these clues to lead us by the nose... Instead of simply telling us to eliminate the problem. You could have told us what she had done as a witness, and left Rivera out of it entirely. You decided to direct us around like a puppetmaster. You're no better than Matsuri."

"Aw, soul sister~" Matsuri smiles over to Oboro with a wink and she looks absolutely horrified by the comparison.

"...You made Yuuhi's whole crime scene look like an actual murder attempt, not a suicide. You put it all there to make Tsubaki's murder look suspect. And you kept pushing us to doubt Tsubaki. It was all self-preservation."

Kaya clenches her teeth. And Oboro looks... proud of her? It's a disgusting feeling.

"...What... would you have done if Rivera had actually died?" Konoe is in horror. This woman...

"...It almost happened, didn't it?" Oboro looks scathingly at Daisuke. "I brought you along to serve a purpose. And you fucked that up royally. You almost made me murder someone for real. What a disgrace you are. Fucking useless."

Daisuke trembles harder at his seat, quiet and shaking.

"You don't speak to him that way again." Konoe's voice is dangerous. "Or you'll have to deal with me."

"I've been watching you do kickboxing and martial arts and all kinds of sports for three years, you really think you can take me after I know your every move? I can probably do them better than you can at this point. Why don't you stay quiet before I leave you bloody and ugly on the floor in front of your boytoy?"

"Hehehe... She's really a mimic~" Matsuri is weirdly elated. "She's just like me!"

"I am _nothing_ like you!" Oboro shouts loudly... and then quickly gathers her composure. "I believe in life. And I want to get out of here. More than anyone. But I don't want to kill. We're very dissimilar. I only want to get out so I can go back to living my own life with my very auspicious future. That is my Hope."

...She's... a different kind of sociopath.

Not altogether dangerous... But absolutely detached.

"Why is it always like this..." Kaya sighs looking down. When she looks back up, her eyes are full of angry tears. "Why... Is it always like this?! Why can't you guys just chill the fuck out for once! We'd all get out of this alive if you could just believe in each other! We didn't even have a motive this time and you just... You guys... We're... Supposed to be friends."

"...Friends?" Matsuri laughs.

"Who said we were friends?" Oboro nods along with Matsuri. "My only friend died before we even came to this hellhole. And he died because of that clown over there, so I don't feel very bad that Tsubaki almost used you as a scapegoat. You've only ever made things worse for us and yourself."

Her words pointedly strike at Matsunaga's heart.

She... She blamed him for Zenji...! And...

And... he did too...

If he'd only paid more attention to the turret, he'd have known not to try to pick the lock and...

Oboro was right to hate him. Of course she would.

"..."

"...Hey. We are friends." Shoko looks around. "I trust you guys with my life."

"I... want to trust you guys." Konoe says quietly. "I... I do. Some of you, I just don't understand."

"Most of you have proven untrustworthy." Matsunaga crosses his arms, trying to keep his composure. "However, there are some I believe in. Some..."

He looks over to Shoko, and looks away with the faintest hint of a blush.

"...Huh?"

"Some of you have even put yourselves in danger to protect me. Even if it was out of your own self-preservation... I'm thankful. And... I'm sorry I lied."

"..." Daisuke can't look at anyone, still shaking, hands numbly gripping the rail of his assigned seat. Slowly, he looks over to Konoe, the only person to have really had his back... The one who still wanted him to live... No matter what. "...I'm sorry. I've... been... I'm... I've... I'm... sorry."

"Daisuke..." Konoe is finally able to smile. "It's okay. You can still hate me."

"I don't want to hate you!" He shouts. "You're... I... I don't want you to die either... You know?"

"Come on, guys. We need to be unified. For once." Yoshiki takes a deep breath. "We're... losing people. We need to stop this."

"Exactly! Why can you not simply work together!" Jinichi says loudly, but quickly retreats. "I... I know I'm not the easiest person but... But we're all we have at this point! So... Please, be patient. I'm trying... I want to help."

"And yet, there are still those among us who work for their own ends. Such deplorable tactics... It would be better to get rid of them. Cut them loose. However... For the time being, I will allow it." Shirahase crosses her arms.

"For now... We need to combine our efforts." Yuuhi says quietly. 

That... is the only way hope will win, he thinks.

"...I don't think that'll work~" Matsuri laughs.

"We combine our efforts, we combine our hopes. We all want to live. That should unite us, not divide us."

Yuuhi's words reverberate loudly throughout the chamber.

"Well... That's just... fucking perfect then..." Tsubaki says at last. 

She stares at the rest of them, blank fear and hatred. 

"...!" 

They'd... forgotten she... She was... the killer this time. 

And that meant...

"I... I get to die. And you all get to live... Is that it? Is that... how this goes? You're cutting me loose...? Because I'm weak...?"

"...You killed Ran." Kaya glares at her.

"...And what? That means I have to die...?" Tsubaki begins to laugh, but it sounds... unhinged. "I get to die because those are the rules...? The rules say... Kill or be killed...? Law of the jungle? This game isn't one you can win. Talk about life and hope and whatever else but... But... All it takes is one person. And then you're back here."

"..."

"And don't tell me it couldn't happen... Because it can. And it will. You'll be back here for a third trial. And a fourth. And a fifth... Until there's no one left. Until you all self-destruct. Because..." Tsubaki's eyes have gone... empty. "Because there's no such thing as Hope."

"Just because you gave up on us, doesn't mean you were right." Yuuhi glares at her. "You gave into Despair. This is your doing."

"My only mistake here... is picking the wrong person." She laughs again. "I should have... just killed Ran, and done everything... Without her. You would have never caught me without her."

"...That's not true."

"No? Even the one who nearly took the fall for it thought it was a suicide... And none of you knew a thing about the pool balls without her help. No... You'd have... danced around in circles... Accusing everyone back and forth... And you'd have ripped yourselves apart."

"That's not true. You've got that wrong." Shoko says definitively. "You're the one had Matsunaga's knife. You're the one who had the rock climbing experience with the ropes. When it comes down to it, you were the only one who could have done it. And we would have figured it out!"

"...Maybe... I doubt it... You'd have... figured it out...?" Tsubaki shakes her head. "No... No way. I'm... I'm too smart for that. I know it. You're all... too stupid..."

"...Now what's her problem?" Daisuke glares at her. "She's gonna die so she has to be as mean as possible before? Is this just her being in denial?"

"What else does she have left?" Shoko brushes away her tears. "It's just like Chisato. Make everyone feel as bad as she does."

"You're all... stupid... And strong but... I could've... I could've..."

"..." Oboro rolls her eyes. "Well, now this is just sad."

"...I don't deserve this. I don't. I... I have... I want... I..."

"Well, I think we're ready to call a vote! It looks like Miss Mizuno has fallen into Despair, so that's a good place to leave things for now!"

"What?!" Kaya stares hard at Monokuma.

"What, what? You don't want this to go on, do you? I think she's given you plenty of Despair to think about! The weak are meat, and the strong eat! So eat up everyone! You've lost another weakling, but who's next lowest on the totem pole...?"

"...Fucking..." Kaya glares. "That's not it! We're going to work together with each other, not... Not turn on each other!"

"Really? I guess we'll see! Human nature is a lot like animal nature! Can't you smell the blood? Now then... Everyone, cast your votes, let's see who the blackened in this case will be! Will you pick the right choice, or the dreadfully wrong one~"

...

And just like before. Exactly like before.

"..."

"Ta da~ Our blackened in this case is none other than... Mizuno Tsubaki! Driven to Despair by her own weakness and helplessness and uselessness! She went and edged out her competition, trying to work her way up the social dynamics! It's a lot like a nature documentary - beta kills omega, beta gets squished and eaten up by the alphas!"

"...Are... Are we...?" Jinichi has begun to tremble again. "Are we going to have to watch another...?"

"Execution? Of course! Crime followed by Punishment! That's just how it all works, right? Right~?"

"...I..." Tsubaki is lost in her own Despair. "I did it. I killed her."

"Tsubaki..."

"We already know that! The voting's been counted~ And everyone voted for you! ...Except for you, Miss Mizuno. You didn't vote for yourself, which is silly. How could you vote for Miss Tendo like that? You know you killed her better than anyone else! You just admitted it~"

"Death throes from a wounded animal." Oboro laughs. "How amusing."

"Well, I'm happy." Matsuri smiles. "I get to laugh when you get executed after all!"

"Matsuri..." Konoe gives her a harsh stare. 

"What? You're mad at her too, right? She killed our precious friend!" 

"You don't have to be a demon about it."

Her voice drops as she stares long and hard at Tsubaki. It's a cold unfeeling side that she's never shared before. 

"She killed Ran, who only wanted to bring us happiness. She killed a friend who cared more about us than anyone. I'll rest easy knowing that Ran can rest in peace now. A girl like her can't be trusted or forgiven, killing someone because they want don't want to be killed. What a fool. Ran would have given her a second chance, but she murdered her... and I'm not strong like Ran was. Enjoy hell. You deserve it."

Konoe is stunned by her words. Utterly stunned. But... She's... not totally wrong, either.

"..." Yuuhi looks away. This entire thing is so unpleasant.

"I... I don't want to watch this." Yoshiki says quietly. "Not again... Please... Not again..."

"Just cover your eyes and cry if you have to!" Monokuma laughs. "But really... Clubbing a little girl who was begging for her life, Miss Mizuno? What a monstrous thing to do~"

"Wh... Why are you telling us that?" Kaya glares at him. "We don't need to know details."

"What were her last words...? 'Please, stop! Please, leave me alone! Why, Tsubaki? Why?!'... Was that it?"

"Shut up!" Daisuke clamps his hands over his ears. "I don't... I don't want to hear this! I don't want to hate her!"

And... that's what he was trying to do, wasn't it?

Kaya realized it. He was trying to make them hate Tsubaki. 

The total opposite of Ran, who tried to shield someone as dark and twisted as Matsuri. Monokuma wanted them to hate Tsubaki... And... by extension, they'd hate anyone else who had killed or would kill...

Was that it...? Or... Was this just Monokuma being mean for no reason?!

"How many times did you hit her until she stopped breathing...?" Monokuma laughs as Tsubaki begins to shake again. "Before you cleaned up the blood...?"

"It... It was her or me... I... I didn't... I didn't want to be someone else's kill..."

"Stop this, just... Stop it." Konoe has gone over to Daisuke to help calm him down.

"Hm? Why? You're not having fun?"

"No one is having fun here!" Jinichi shouts.

"I am~" Matsuri laughs. "It makes me want to see her burn even more..."

"No one sane!"

"...There is no need for this unpleasant affair. Begin your punishment, and let us leave." Shirahase says, scary aura and all. "Or does torturing the weak excite you?"

"Torturing the weak? I saw her club the poor Unlucky Student! There was very little weakness!" Monokuma laughs. "Even hoisting her up to the roof to hang her... There was actually a lot of strength involved!"

"..." Yoshiki is covering his eyes and rocking himself back and forth as Shirahase walks over to him to comfort him. "Please don't... Please..."

"Aw, well, you guys are major buzzkills. So... I guess it's fine. Miss Mizuno has fully accepted her Despair. And things can only get lower from there... Ultimate Despair."

"Wh...?"

"If we're all ready to go, I think it's time to bring us to the end! I've prepared a very special Punishment for the Super High School Level Wildlife Conservationist!"

"...It's over." Tsubaki mumbles. "I... I didn't win... I never win..."

"Let's give it everything we've got, it's Punishment Time!!"

~ ~ ~

  
GAME OVER

MIZUNO TSUBAKI HAS FAILED THE FINAL!

BEGINNING PUNISHMENT...

**Call of the Wild!  
Rumble in the Concrete Jungle**  


...

The stage opens up to a strange sight. A cityscape drawn all in childish doodles. Like a fake set of a giant monster destroying a city kind of movie, only worse.

Cardboard buildings with terrible windows drawn on. And Tsubaki, there, in the middle of the street.

And then...

Mono-men, dressed all in suits and ties, come running in with spears and blowguns.

Tsubaki immediately runs for her life down the open streets, turning down alleys, turning through side streets as the guys in suits run here and there following after.

It almost looks like a game, where they're trying to trap her.

And they do.

Cornered on every side.

A spear is chucked at her. And it misses barely. As she tries to scale a fake cardboard building, a blowgun dart strikes her in the leg.

All at once, she seems to lose the ability to move and slumps down, unable to stand now. The Mono-men come in. With spears.

And...

And then there's only red. And the sound of sharp hitting squishy.

The image disappears from the monitor.

~ ~ ~

...

Far from the violent reaction that everyone had had with Chisato...

This was... just numbness. It seemed so... unreal. And...

All anyone can hear is crying, Daisuke has started to bawl into Konoe's shirt as Konoe stares blankly up at the monitor.

The first person to speak is unsurprisingly...

"Welp! That's that! Rest in peace, Ran. You deserved way better than the end you got!" Matsuri announces with utmost cheer in an almost reverent prayer... And then she marches her way towards the elevator. "But I hope Tsubaki was ten times as scared as you were when she died. You deserve that much..."

"...What... do we do...?" Yoshiki looks to Yuuhi. He's started crying and he doesn't know why or when. "...We... We..."

Shirahase was by him but he seems stable now.

"Let's go. We shouldn't talk here." Yuuhi says simply.

"Y-Yeah. Come on, man." Jinichi says leading Yoshiki away. He's much quieter now.

Matsunaga stands awkwardly there while Shoko cries her eyes out.

"...Ebihara... Let's go back upstairs." He says gently.

"I want to go home..." She continues to cry.

"I know. For now... We need to leave." He offers her his hand. "It will be alright."

Monokuma stands there boredly.

"Come on, come on. Shoo, shoo, shoo! I've got cleanup to do!"

Oboro smiles as she passes by, looking almost apologetically to Yuuhi.

"I wouldn't have killed you. You need not fear me. I'm glad I got to you in time. Wish a certain other person weren't useless, but... I'm not. So that's good enough, I think."

"I do fear you." Yuuhi states simply. "But I'm not afraid you'll kill me."

"...That's fine too, dear." She smiles and walks by. 

"..."

Shirahase stands there, sentinel. Unmoving guardian.

"Rest assured, I have no intention of killing anyone. There's no Hope in that."

"..." At last, the two see each other for who they really are.

"What? You see something you like?"

"..." Shirahase turns around and begins to move, nothing being said.

Konoe leads Daisuke away after Shirahase, but spares Kaya a passing glance.

Kaya looks to him, and then motions that he go on with her head. He's got Daisuke to worry about.

"...You and I need to stop them." Yuuhi looks to her. "We're falling apart here."

"...Alright. Then... Let's get out of here."

She looks to him, knowingly.

They all board the elevator and head up, leaving the basement behind for the second time. 

And hoping there won't be a third.


	22. The Way We Wish We Were

With the second trial concluded, they ascend in the elevator again.

Even though it's still early afternoon, everyone is exhausted. And, the third floor has been restricted, probably to clean up Matsunaga's mess.

It isn't that everyone is completely devoid of suspicion, or that they've all now decided to trust each other... but everyone is too emotionally drained to do anything but retreat to their own private corners, as it were.

"Matsunaga, come with me to the school store. I'll bandage your hand properly." Shoko says, trying not to let the exhaustion give her voice an edge.

"As you say."

The two of them depart.

"Well, today has been a trying day... I think I'd like some tea. Would anyone like a cup?" Oboro asks and the rest of the group stares at her, incredulous.

"If that's your idea of a joke, Tendo, it's in poor taste." Yuuhi's voice is low and numb.

"...Oh, yes. You would be suspicious. Well... Alright. Feel free to brew your own cups then." Oboro takes the elevator up.

"...I think I'll go up to the kitchens too." Jinichi's voice has lost its rough thunderous timbre. "Sooner or later we're going to need to eat. I... I hope no one minds if I do something simple. My heart's just not in this."

"I'll help you out." Kaya stretches. "I haven't helped in the kitchen yet. And I can make some things. Maybe just soup for dinner...? Or stew...?"

"Anything's fine." Daisuke mumurs as he waits for the elevator to come back down. "I... I think I need to lie down."

"I'll go with you. We'll find a room with a couch or... something. Maybe the school store has sleeping bags? That... That would have been something to check for days ago..." Konoe is also exhausted. "...Maybe they have some kind of mat. I think I need to center myself. Maybe after a long shower... And wash my clothes while I'm at it."

"Alright. Rivera, Souma, Utsumi... Would you like to help me with something?" Yoshiki asks in a much more hopeful mood than before.

"Help? I dunno. I'm not really that kind of character." Matsuri snickers to herself.

"What kind of assistance do you require?" Shirahase watches Matsuri from the corner of her eye.

"First, I'd like to see if the school store has things like flashlights or food rations. That kind of thing. Second, I want to see how long the rope is in the utility room for myself."

"...Speaking of the utility room, there's also something I want to see there." Yuuhi nods. "But it would be better if we kept our plans to ourselves for now."

He looks to the security camera. There's no point in trying to disguise his disdain for it. Or for Monokuma. Or the game itself.

~ ~ ~

After taking one of the first aid kits from the store, she leads Matsunaga into the girls bathroom... which is an uncomfortable experience for him.

They would have picked the boys bathroom, but Konoe was in there taking a shower. They'd passed him after he'd changed and put his clothes in the washing machine.

"...Relax. There's no one else around." She shakes her head. At least, she didn't think so.

"This still feels wrong."

"...You're a Master Thief, don't you normally go where you shouldn't?" 

She washes her hands before unwrapping his hand. She'd at least had the forethought to grab a pair of tweezers, and began to pluck bits of glass from his hand and drop them into the sink. He seethes with every motion.

"That... is different."

"You were telling the truth before. When we talked. Why?"

"...What do you mean?"

"Why did you tell me the truth?" She's not really sure what answer she expects.

He chuckles bitterly at that.

"Because it's so outlandish I figured there's no way you'd believe me. But... hearing the others confess their secrets made me jealous. Their secrets seemed so much larger than my own. Like Okui's and Nishikado's... Even... Even Ijishima's... was far worse than mine."

"..." She looks away for a moment. "You really did try to save her."

"It was stupid. Tendo was right."

"No, she wasn't. You... You really did care about her."

"What made you think I don't care about the people in here?" He asks seriously. "I know I'm not very social but... I can't be more antisocial than Nishikado."

"I don't know. It's just..." She stares at him. The tattoos, the bleached bangs... "You kind of have that... vibe."

"...Ono died because I was careless. If there was even the smallest chance that Ijishima was still alive, I owed it to her to try and help. And when I found out she was dead... No one deserves to be left exposed to the elements."

"...You take pain better than most."

She says as she changes the subject. He's putting up with glass being pulled out of his hand prety well. He hasn't pulled away, even though there's the urge to.

"I'm an Acrobat. I'm used to aches and pains. I've broken limbs, fallen from great heights, once the safety net failed and I nearly killed myself... The circus can be fucking rough."

"..." She stares at him, trying to determine whether that's the truth or a lie. "And what about the stealing?"

"...What about it?"

"You ever get hurt doing that?"

"All the time. Broken glass, heavy bags... Fell off a roof once. And once I broke a few ribs."

"What?! When?"

"...About two years ago. You don't remember?"

"No."

"I was out for a while, but no one really cares if you attend class. I was around but..." He dramatically blows air through his lips which vibrates somewhat like a raspberry. "There was this job, and of course I had to do the heavy lifting, and of course things went tits up real quick. So, there I am, running on rooftops like some dumb action movie, and I try to jump from one roof onto a fire escape."

"..." This really does sound like a comic book.

"And I jump, and I make it, but I land wrong and I basically crash my solar plexus right onto the side of the fire escape like... like that little balcony thing on each floor of the fire escape? Slammed right into that with my stomach. Knocked the wind out of myself, broke some ribs, and then I fall right on top of a dumpster, because, why the fuck not make it as terrible as possible... And I just kind of lay there... can't breathe, feel like I'm dying... And for a good thirty minutes I'm there trying to breathe until one of the other guys comes to get me."

"Shit... Matsunaga that sounds..."

"Oh, I know. It wasn't great. But I've got bruises and scars pretty much all over from that. These..." He looks to his hand. "...At least when these scars heal up I'll be able to think, 'Hey, you tried to do a good thing!' ...instead of some of the others."

"...You told me the truth, but you made it sound like a lie."

"Yeah. Because... I chickened out." He nearly does pull away when she starts applying disinfectant. That burns like hell. "I could've told you the truth, but I figured if we were getting out, because... I, of course, thought we were getting out... Why tell you? Why tell someone who could just... turn me in."

"You thought I'd turn you into the police?"

"Why not? 'Ebihara's a person who believes in justice, there's no way she won't have you arrested'... I wanted to tell you the truth but... When you thought I was joking, I figured it was an easy out. I hadn't lied, but I wasn't being honest either."

"...Is that what you think of me?"

"Of course. You're the one who gets the most fired up about what's fair and what isn't, and how people should behave. You're like Nishikado, if Nishikado gave a fuck... I... Well, that's not fair now. But... how she used to be."

"I'm not some just person."

"Yeah. You are. You've always been that way, from day one. But... We haven't been able to get in touch with the police, or security, or anyone else... For all I know, my entire troupe's dead, I don't really have any family that would care if I live or die... I can be Hiragumo, and no one in here cares. Probably because everyone else is so neurotic I just look normal."

"...I'm not a just person. I'm really not. But... Thank you for telling me." She says before washing off her hands of the blood, making sure to wash the glass away down the drain. Once she dries her hands she stares at him. "...I did promise I'd tell you my secret."

"...You don't have to, Ebihara. I... sort of lied. So, it doesn't count. Contract is null and void."

Without paying attention to him, she reaches into her pocket. She'd taken it out of the envelope and folded the paper up tiny, as small as she could make it. It almost looks like a square scrap of paper or a kind of note that kids would pass to each other in class now. She slowly unfolds it before handing it to him.

And then she begins to bandage his hand.

**Ebihara Shoko is responsible for the death of her father and others! See: Arima Retsu**

Matsunaga quirks a brow.

"...What does this mean?"

"It means what it says. I... I did stupid things when I was younger, and it got people hurt."

"...You made it sound as if your father... died. Recently." He isn't really sure how to broach the subject.

"My step-father. My parents separated when I was still a baby. But I lived with my biological father until..." She takes a deep breath. "I might as well tell you the whole story."

"You don't have to. I won't force you."

"...When I was in junior high, I was one of the bad girls. We'd beat people up, steal their money... You know. We were a gang. Not as petty as Ran being a bully... We... We ran together, caused trouble, did stupid things. Got involved with bikers..."

"You were involved with bikers?" He can't imagine it.

"Not... exactly." She said with a small sigh. "We did things for them, they did things for us. Sometimes there were parties, I'm not a party girl... But they were into dog fighting, and that's illegal where I'm from so... I mean... I I sort of... told on them."

"That sounds like the Ebihara I know."

"Well, I couldn't stand it! The dogs don't..." She momentarily seizes with anger before Matsunaga smirks. "...Anyway. Long story short, they found out it was me. I got my ass beat by my gang, my father got the police involved... They retaliated... I let the Crazy Diamonds biker gang know there was a rival gang that needed to be squashed... They retaliated again..."

"...You're a force of nature."

"No. I don't think things through before I do them. I was just so... so angry... for what they were doing to those animals and I kind of lost my head. The Crazy Diamonds took over. And they helped me. But... my father didn't make it."

"...You lost me."

"See where it says... See: Arima Retsu?"

"...Yeah?"

"That's me. The real me. Someone knows who I am."

"...What?" He squints at her as she finishes the bandages and washes her hands again.

"I was born Arima Retsu. The Crazy Diamonds helped me change my name and... falsified some things for me. It's not at all legal, but I needed to disappear fast and... The leader of the gang helped me. So, I became Ebihara... my step-father's surname. Shoko was... I don't know. It sounded nice."

"You pissed off a bunch of gangsters so badly that you had to change your name?"

"You've never met a gangster-type have you? ...Aside from... Shirahase, I guess. They don't take those kinds of things lying down. I ruined their gang. I'm the reason they went under. Of course they wanted me dead. They... I moved in with my mother and step-father, and my father ended up getting stabbed to death by them. And it's... It's all my fault."

"Why keep it a secret though? Why... Why does that matter now?"

"It doesn't matter _now_ but... I kept it a secret because... The things I was involved with were illegal. And more importantly, someone knew my real name. If I got exposed and someone out there found out, I'd... I'd be dead. They'd come after me again. I don't even know who at this point but... Gangsters live for blood feuds and repaying debts. I don't know who's still alive out there who'd come for me. But... I couldn't take the chance."

"...And you're telling me this now...? Why were you willing to tell me in the first place?"

"Because you... seemed like you'd keep my secret. No matter what it was." She smiles. "Maybe it's the tattoos and the gangster look you've got."

"I do not look like a gangster!"

"...Yeah, you kind of do. More importantly, I trust you not to tell people. Gangsters are all about oaths, I figured I'd make you swear. But since you know all about fake names, you're... the logical choice."

"..." Matsunaga takes a deep breath. "Your life is fucking complicated."

"I know. That's why I like animals better."

"Well... You're right. I won't tell. Whether you tell the others is up to you. Worst case scenario... Someone finds out, and you join the circus." He gives a sly smirk.

She snorts and begins to laugh.

"As what?! The lion tamer?"

"Maybe." He also laughs. "...But for the record... Ebihara Shoko suits you better. I don't think I could get used to calling you Arima."

~ ~ ~

...

The ugliest pajamas in the world had made an appearance again. It was either them or sweatpants that barely made it to his shins. God help everyone if he had to wear the gym shorts, no one needed to see that much of his legs. The rugby shorts were short enough.

After a long hot shower to decompress, and finally being able to shave, he looked... Very young now.

Konoe stares at his reflection. He had been growing a bit of goatee for a while, but whether it was the stress of the day, or just a desire to get rid of it... His face was now completely clean shaven. It had been a few days since he'd been able to shave at all, and he was lucky Shoko hadn't confiscated the razors.

He had made sure to throw his away when it was done, just in case. 

Without the gel in his hair, which had run out by now, and without his facial hair, he looked like a first year student somehow. It was weird. Maybe Daisuke had gel he could borrow. Or Matsunaga, though Matsunaga's hair was more like fly-away hair... Yoshiki would be a better choice.

...

With a towel in hand, he makes his way back to the room he and Daisuke were sharing. He hadn't wanted to leave Daisuke alone, but he was asleep and the door locked. At least this time he had a key to open it.

The room itself is some kind of banquet hall, except all the tables have been folded up and put to the side. It's just a wide rectangular room with some windows, and a television that didn't really get any channels anymore.

Daisuke had somehow gotten used to sleeping on floors, but at least the tablecloths made for some warmth or cushioning... They did manage to find pillows from the first floor, private faculty offices with their own little couches. At least it wasn't just sleeping on the cold hard ground.

And there were towels that helped soften things... No sleeping bags, unfortunately.

Konoe smiles a bit seeing Daisuke asleep. At least the pain isn't so severe that he can't sleep. If not sleeping would make his symptoms work, then he could sleep the day away for all he cared.

He makes sure to lock the door behind him.

In the sunlight that pours in, he can see now that Daisuke's hair has grown a bit... Usually he kept it short like a crew cut, but it was getting longer. And the bleached white hair was fading out. Pretty soon, Daisuke would be brunette again. He chuckles to himself. He hadn't seen Daisuke with brown hair since... probably since they'd first met.

"Looks like I'm not the only one with hair trouble..." He says quietly to himself before setting down a towel.

The incidents of the past few days had brought out the worst in him. The angry, violent side of him. A side that most people didn't know about. And it was that side that he tried to keep to himself.

His own parents had worried about him, and really didn't know how to control him when he was younger. He was always tall for his age, and for his very short parents, it was basically having a tall rage monster around. He never even knew what he was angry about, just that it was always there.

When he finally accepted he liked men... That probably explained it. It also didn't help that his parents were emotionally shut down people, repressed by their parents. They'd signed him up for sports to give him some kind of outlet. And then it went from martial arts to rugby, and then eventually yoga.

Yoga had been to increase his flexibility at first. But there was something soothing about it.

Once he accepted that he could be a calm person and not become his parents, that he could find a way to accept himself and not let it rule him... Well, that had been the plan. Suddenly having it yanked away from him, his secrets on parade... Matsuri and Oboro brought out the worst in him.

But... He still had Daisuke. And Daisuke didn't hate him.

...

His breathing is calm and his mind is centered, although the handstand is making his arms hurt. He hadn't had the chance to really work out at all since this whole thing started. Maybe he was losing his muscles. Slowly he lowers himself and goes into another pose.

"...You're like a damn octopus." Daisuke's amused voice catches him off-guard.

"Daisuke. You should go back to bed."

"I just woke up." He takes a look at Konoe and makes a face. "What did you do to your face?"

"I shaved."

"You shaved it all off?" He snickers. "You look like a baby. Do guys go for that clean muscled look? I thought the hairy muscled look was more popular for guys like you."

He jokes and it feels... strange to have his secret in the open, and not being used against him maliciously.

"...Your hair's going brown again, enjoy." 

Konoe relishes seeing Daisuke briefly look around for something reflective.

"...Why'd you shave it all off?"

"It was itchy." He answers simply. "Plus, it was getting to be too much like a beard."

"I think it looks good. Just weird. Makes me want to touch your face." He laughs.

"...Not a chance. You don't wash your hands enough to touch my face. Especially if you're picking your nose."

"I... I don't actually do that."

"..."

"Okay, I sometimes do that, but I always wash my hands. See, you get two secrets from me."

"..." Konoe looks to him seriously. "You're not still upset with me?"

"...Of course I am. I just don't want to be." He says simply. "I don't want to be mad at you. I don't want to hate you. I wish we could go back to being friends."

"We are friends."

"Yeah, but like... Friends friends... You know?"

"Repeating the word does not give it a new meaning."

"For real friends." Daisuke says seirously. "I don't want us to keep secrets. I don't... want us to get to... where we were."

"Alright. No secrets then. But don't ask questions you don't want to hear the answers to."

Konoe adds simply before starting to do pushups. He's hoping he doesn't sweat through the star pajamas. That would be unfortunate.

"...Can I ask questions?"

"Like I said, don't ask if you don't want the truth."

"Do you... think about me?"

"Yes."

"...Like that?"

"Sometimes. Not always." He stops doing pushups. He's... definitely going to sweat at this rate.

"You can ask me questions too... I'm not going to lie." Daisuke speaks quietly. There's something self-conscious in his voice.

"Do you... think Yukino is still alive...?"

"...Dude, don't fucking ask that. I don't know." Daisuke should have known better.

"Would she forgive me...? I ask myself that all the time, but I don't know how she'll react."

"She'll... She'd be mad. But... But I think she'll be mad you didn't tell her sooner. She won't hate you. At least not forever."

"What do you think of me, now that you know?"

"I... I'm still confused. I'm... curious?" He isn't sure how to properly express his feelings. "I don't know, a little flattered but no one's had a crush on me ever."

"That's not true. There were many girls who liked you."

"What? Since when?"

"At Hope's Peak, a lot of girls would ask me what kinds of things you'd like, or what your favorite food was, or what you did for fun... Things like that. The problem is you're oblivious to when people like you, so it comes off as cold and you not caring."

"..." Daisuke is floored by that realization. "...You're telling me I could have had a girlfriend all this time?!"

"At least five. I don't think anyone confessed to you, but only because you're dense and moody."

"Wh-?! I am not moody!"

"..."

"...I'm not always moody." Daisuke looks embarrassed now. "Who liked me?"

"I don't know their names. I think one of our upperclassmen, the Makeup Artist had a thing for you...? She was a fan of your hair."

"Wh... You never told me!"

"...Why would I? It was your love life."

"You... You kept it from me on purpose!"

"..." Konoe looks to him and then looks away. "...That's also true. But mostly it wasn't my place. A lot of them asked me not to tell you. And... If we're being honest, I wouldn't have told you no matter what. Because... I wanted you to myself."

"..." Daisuke frowns. "Fuck, man. You're such a cockblock!"

"I'm surprised you never noticed, but that's who you are, Daisuke. I thought for sure someone would have confessed to you. Not me, obviously. There was... It seemed like there was too much at stake."

"You're fucking cold-blooded." Daisuke laughs bitterly. "Trying to keep me all to yourself."

"Absolutely. A rival in love is someone I cannot allow to win."

"...You said that with a straight face and everything. Calm and peaceful like..."

"Utsumi?"

"No, like Evil Yoga."

"..." He looks away and begins to laugh. "Helping a rival wouldn't help me. I'm... very selfish."

"You are not. You're like the most selfless person I know."

"Only when I want to be. Especially for someone I care about. Most of all, for you."

"That's... I kind of enjoy the flattery. Is that weird?"

"Are you afraid of me now?" Konoe asks seriously. "I'm... not a predator or anything. You don't need to be."

"Shit, I'm not afraid of you. I'm... I've just got a lot of complicated emotions, okay? Just... I want to be mad at you, but I'm weirdly flattered, and then there's my sister, but I want us to get out of here alive, and everyone keeps dying... And... And I don't want you to die. Not for me, not for anyone else. You better not go and sacrifice yourself for me. I will beat you up."

"If I sacrifice myself for you, you won't get the chance." He allows himself a smile. Daisuke's logic was always funny to listen to.

"...Alright. I want to ask more questions."

"..." Konoe sighs weakly. "Don't make me say weird things at least."

"What's School Daze?"

...

Konoe starts to turn a bluish purple and looks away.

"I just asked you not to make me say weird things."

"But it's still hurting you. Is it... Is it that bad?"

"It's... not good. No."

"Is it about me?"

"It..." Konoe's fingers tense, like he wants to say it but shouldn't. "It... has something to do with you, but no."

"Is a book? Movie?"

"...No. And... sort of."

"A video?"

"Yes." He groans. This is not how he wants this conversation to go. "Please stop asking questions."

"No, I have the right to know, don't I?"

"No. You really don't. And that's the truth. It's my life and my mistakes. I wish it didn't involve you at all."

"Is... Is it a sex thing?"

"..."

"It is! You... You were on there? Doing... things?"

"Stop, Daisuke."

"With a guy, right? It's a gay thing! You were in a sex video!"

"...Please. Stop."

"That's what it was. That was proof! It... Wait... Your secret was you liked me, not men in general... How... How's the video proof?"

"That's enough. We're done sharing." Konoe says suddenly and stands. "Please, don't ask this of me. I don't want you to know."

"You said you didn't want secrets between us. Was that a lie?"

"No! It wasn't a lie! But this is personal! It's... It's a stupid thing I did while I was cheating on your sister and it involves you because..." He flinches. "Because anyone who saw the video who knows me would know it was me, and would know that I liked you. And..."

"Konoe. Please. I... Tell me everything and then there won't be any secrets left between us."

"...Why are you doing this? Aren't you disgusted by me? Are you... looking to make fun of me? Or blackmail me?"

The pain in Konoe's voice strikes a nerve. It's... It's a question Konoe would have to ask. Regardless of who it was, cameras or no.

"...Let's go to the boys bathroom. No one will be able to hear it there. No one but me. But... We are friends. And I don't hate you. I want you to trust me."

...

"...Fine. But... Don't hate me. It... It's okay if you do, but... I don't want you to." Konoe says weakly.

~ ~ ~

Kaya and Jinichi made... a very strange pair.

Their conversation was full of gaps and awkward pauses as if they couldn't really find any common ground. And thankfully, Oboro has cleared out of their way without having to be told.

"Hey, do you use oil for the rice...?" She asks waiting for the water to boil.

"You don't have to but it helps keep it from sticking. Use olive oil."

"Really? Not sesame oil?"

"No." Jinichi makes a face. "Olive oil or vegetable oil. Sesame... will taste weird. It's no good. I have to eat it too after all."

"What do you have against sesame?" Kaya asks but Jinichi ignores it. She sticks with vegetable oil.

"..." Jinichi is cooking onions and garlic, waiting for the onions to turn translucent. "Hey. Nishikado."

"What?"

"...Mizuno. Did... Did you have any idea?"

"That Tsubaki went crazy and would kill someone? That she killed Ran?" She asks incredulously. And then her tone because somber. "I had no idea... Not until Matsunaga said she had his knife, and Oboro went on and on about... Well... No. I had no idea."

"I didn't either. I was trying to be helpful this trial, but..." Jinichi grumbles. "I don't think I helped at all."

"You were the one who caught the thing with ball 14."

"So did Rivera."

"That doesn't mean anything. If you're able to keep up with Yuuhi, then you're doing fine. And... You shouldn't have to keep up with anyone. We shouldn't have to keep worrying about someone killing someone and then having to debate who did it. We should..."

Kaya's voice dies out.

"...Sorry. I didn't mean to make it uncomfortable. I... I want to be useful too. You guys look up to Tachibana, and Rivera. Everyone has a place in the group. I'm... I'm the loud stupid one."

"I'm the loud stupid one, get your own position." Kaya teases.

"I want people to depend on me. I want to be important. Does that make sense?"

"Of course it does. Everyone feels that way." Even Jinichi is becoming a precious friend to her. How did that happen? "...Don't overthink it. Be yourself. You don't need to go at anyone else's pace."

"Yeah, you can say that. You're sharp. You might not know what's going on at first, but you catch on quick. I get stuck in the weeds trying to figure out what something means when everyone else is on the next thing. I can't match that. That's why... That's why I wanted to help so badly. I wanted to be able to point out the clues, even if I didn't get them."

"You've got to stop trying to compete with Yoshiki. It's not that big of a deal. He's class rep, you're not. It's fine."

"...You don't understand. I've... I've never failed at anything before that. I've gotten things wrong, made mistakes, but I don't... I don't fail at things. That's not in my nature." Jinichi has a hard time concentrating as he stirs in other vegetables. "And the reason I did fail is because of who I am. People... don't like me. I can't fix that. I can't improve suddenly. It's not like getting an answer wrong on a test where you learn from it. I don't know what else to do."

"..."

"No snappy comeback? You've got nothing?"

"If you're going to play the victim, why bother?" She says with a shrug.

"Wh-?!"

"You're all 'I can't do this, I have to do that, I should be this, that's not in my nature'... Quit sulking. If it bothers you so much, then make an effort. Wallowing is pathetic. And it's beneath you."

"Make an effort...?"

"You want them to like you? Talk to them. Actual conversations. Like this one. You're way too much like me. I used to stand back and get mad at them too. And all it did was get me labeled a bitch who should have died by my best friend who killed my other best friend."

"..." Jinichi looks thoughtfully at the saute pan, stirring slowly. "But... What if I don't have anything to say?"

"Let them talk then. They love talking. Especially Shoko. And Konoe won't shut up if you let him talk. Daisuke can be pretty nice. Yuuhi... Well, he's not talkative really but I think he just enjoys the company. Yoshiki you could get along with if you focus on things you two have in common, not on what you don't have that he does. Matsunaga's a pushover, but I get the feeling he'll listen to anything you have to say. Shirahase likes you just fine since you're not someone she'd have to kill, the less said about that the better... Oboro and Matsuri, I have no fucking idea."

"You're better at reading others. You get them. Even you saying all that seems obvious, but they're things I've never considered."

"You should talk to Yoshiki or Yuuhi. They're the ones who could really use it. Help them figure a way out. You know things they don't. It isn't like they know everything you do..." She groans as the water begins to boil. And then she reduces it to a simmer. Rice was such a pain to make. "You don't see it, but I'm sure they're jealous of you too. You've got good points that they see and you don't."

"Like what?"

"Who was the one who started kitchen duty? And scheduled cleaning things? It wasn't Yoshiki. It was you. You saw a need and you addressed it. Everyone was panicking and afraid, but you saw a clear and obvious thing and you went for it."

"I did what needed to be done."

"Right, but they never thought of it because that's not how they think. That's why they can piece together mysteries, because they're analyzing every little thing and going over every option. You're the one finding the shortest distance between point A and point B."

"...It's nice of you to say. I don't know if I believe it, but it was nice of you to say."

"You worry too much about things that don't matter. Competing with everyone is not the goal. We have to work together, not try to beat everyone. That's the kind of shit that gets people killed."

~ ~ ~

_For the first time in a long time... I felt... Safe?_

_Not safe exactly, but..._

_Hopeful. Like we could do this. Like... It was all going to be okay._

_Does that make sense?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More on names...
> 
> Matsunaga is actually the first name I thought of. He's got his name because of Matsunaga Hisahide, who was an old retainer of the famous conqueror Nobunaga Oda, who was said to be very ambitious. He apparently broke a priceless teakettle known as Hiragumo so that Nobunaga couldn't have it.
> 
> The name "Hiragumo" itself means "flat spider", which is why there's a lot of spider imagery with him being an Acrobat and dangling with his scarf. If anyone could have figured out the connection, it would have been Yoshiki who mentioned the historical significance of it.
> 
> But in terms of appearance I imagined him as kind of the beta!Juzo Sakakura design with the partially bleached hair and tattoos... but him in a unitard and doing cartwheels or going along the tightrope kind of defeats that purpose. I've always kind of been interested in having an Acrobat-Thief, since it kind of reminds me of Hawkeye from the Marvel Universe who used to be in the circus and was a criminal. Although acrobats who can avoid motion sensors and pick locks is more along the lines of Catwoman?
> 
> ...
> 
> As for Shoko...
> 
> Her real name is Arima Retsu; Arima literally means "there is a horse" and Retsu is "fierce" or "ferocious/violent"... so her name was originally going to have an animal theme "There is a violent horse", or Retsuko "there is a small violent horse"... kind of showing that she was an independent kind of person with a past.
> 
> But in the end, I didn't really like leaving her name Retsu, so I chose Ebihara Shoko. Ebihara was named after a kind of stuck-up character from the Persona series who's a sweetheart actually... And Shoko the way it's written is something like "soaring child", I kind of liked her better as someone more like a bird? If that makes sense.
> 
> Also, Matsunaga's first name is Sorata which is written as "clean/thick sky"... the idea that these two would be linked as kind of a foil... a "bad guy" who's not so bad, and a "good" girl who's not so good was in my mind. So together it's kind of like "a bird that sours into a clean sky"...? 
> 
> Also "shoko" in Japanese can possibly mean "evidence" when written a certain way, which was important as Shoko fulfills a kind of "coroner" kind of role as Veterinarian. And although she's not a killer (yet) she does seem to end up placing herself in cases as a key piece of evidence.


	23. Modern Survivalist

Yuuhi, Matsuri, Shirahase, and Yoshiki make a very odd quartet.

"I found flashlights~" Matsuri says trying to shine one under her face for scary effect. "...Well, this sucks. Batteries not included."

"I think there might be some in the utility room." Yoshiki says quietly. "Which works out. I wanted to check there too."

"Exactly what are we doing?" Yuuhi asks as they pick out gym bags for everyone under Yoshiki's orders. He has them putting small supplies like bottles of water, first aid kits, and flashlights in each one. "This feels..."

"Like a survival kit, of sorts." Shirahase nods. "Is that your plan?"

"I don't have a plan. Certainly nothing I could talk about." Yoshiki gives them a courteous smile.

They don't have to look. They know he must mean the cameras in the room. Although, maybe there are listening devices as well... maybe there are listening devices in the rooms they'd thought had no surveillance. That was an eerie thought.

"Then... What are our goals?" Shirahase asks. "Where did you intend to take us?"

"First here, then the utility room... And.. The roof. Eventually. Once the restriction is lifted."

"The roof...?" Shirahase stares blankly at him.

"Maybe we can get Matsunaga to use his secret ninjutsu to get shit done." Matsuri jokes, but it's lost on the two most serious people in the class, and the put upon babysitter, Yoshiki.

"Then I believe our goals are the same." Yuuhi nods with a smile.

"Yes. My goal as well." Shirahase nods.

It seemed the three of them were all thinking about trying to escape somehow. And then there was Matsuri, who had no real direction.

"...You guys never laugh at my jokes. My genius is wasted on you cretins."

"Your jokes aren't funny." Yuuhi states plainly with a shrug. "Paying you any mind is just encouraging you."

"And even if you were funny, I could not find you worth applauding. You clubbed one of your fellow classmates and blackmailed him, and pushed another into a freezer and locked her in. You'll never be humorous. You're just a troll."

"Ouch, so mean!"

"...Yeah, for real though. That stuff you pulled with Sakurai was..." Yoshiki groans. "You should feel bad about that. I mean, you didn't really try to kill Nishikado, but even that was too much. You could have killed them both."

"More than that, you've been bullying Sakurai all this time. Your other actions thus far have been almost entirely cruel. Even what you said about Mizuno crossed the line, though we're inclined to let you get away with that given what happened with Ijishima." Yuuhi crosses his arms. "However, you're not being cooperative. Especially since Sakurai is still alive. Truthfully, I don't want you dead... But only because that would mean having to do another class trial."

"Alright, alright... I get it. Making fun of the gay kid is mean. Fine. I'll find new jokes."

"They're not really jokes." Yoshiki says quietly. "Jokes are supposed to be funny. You're making fun of him. If it were a joke, he'd be laughing too. There is a difference, and it's not okay."

"You need to relax."

"...You really don't understand at all." Shirahase eyes her dangerously. "It has nothing to do with your jokes. It has to do with the fact that you don't care who you hurt. You treat their lives so disgracefully. Even I understand that life should be valued."

"The hitman is going to lecture me on the value of human life? That's hilarious."

"That's enough. She doesn't care." Yuuhi says coldly. "The only person she cared about is dead. Maybe that will be enough to spark some change."

"Hey." Matsuri stares at him dangerously. "Don't go acting like you're better than me. I've never killed anyone. You don't have any right to act like I'm some kind of monster."

"...Then stop acting like one. And actually help us."

"Guys... Let's just go to the utility room, okay?"

"We know what you did. Yuuhi. You admitted it yourself." Matsuri takes an immense amount of pleasure in sneering at him. "You killed your mommy. Don't act like you're better than me. I haven't killed anyone."

"The difference is that I never intended on killing anyone. Your actions were deliberate and malicious, and I at least have the decency to be upset about it." Yuuhi shrugs and begins to leave with his collection of the gym bags, moving along towards the utility room.

"If that's you looking upset, you might want to lay off the botox or something! Maybe practice showing emotions in the mirror, Hopebot!"

"Don't be crass." Shirahase scolds her and begins to walk after Yuuhi.

"You guys are lucky you're my only way out of here..." Matsuri frowns and begins to pout, stomping childishly after them.

"...Yeah. This is the dream." Yoshiki shakes his head. "Everyone working together..."

~ ~ ~

...

Konoe tells Daisuke the whole story once they're in the bathroom and away from Monokuma's prying eyes. Although he could still be listening in, at least he couldn't tape it or something. That would be...

"...You... You were in a sex tape." Daisuke says with amazement. "I... I'm sorry... You just never seemed..."

"It's not like I wanted to be!" Konoe snaps, a little too loudly. "I... I had no idea we were being taped. He... He taped us. It... I was lonely. And sad. And I'd never... done anything. Not with Yukino, not with a guy... I..."

"...That was your first time?"

"Pretty much. And... It wasn't awful. But, I didn't know he'd taped us." He sighs loudly. "It wasn't like you could see me. There were no faces visible, but... Everything else, pretty much."

"Then how was anyone going to tell it was you?" Daisuke tries to work past the shock that's clearly written on his face. How long had Konoe been keeping this secret?

"...Because I... It's not like I was... quiet." He blushes now. "And... Well, if anyone knew me, and saw it, they'd know it was me. My body. My voice... I... I even... said your name..."

"M-My name...?" Now Daisuke is blushing.

"He... The guy I was with... He knew I was hung up on someone, so he said he didn't mind. But... I don't know. Maybe that's why he posted the video. Or it was all exhibitionism. But a guy who looks like me, and sounds like me, and... says 'Daisuke' over and over..."

"Over and over?!"

"...That... That's not the part of the story you should be focusing on!"

"I'm sorry! I... I don't know what to say."

Konoe looks away. It's too hard to talk about this, but not saying anything would hurt more.

"...Anyway. I was... I wasn't 18 yet, so I reported the video whenever I saw it and it would get taken down or reposted by someone else or... I... I don't know. But... Whoever's running this knows that it's me. They know and... And... Can you imagine what my parents would say? What _your_ parents would say? ...I... I mean... Even Yukino would..."

"I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't know." Daisuke says quietly. "But... It'll be okay. I think."

"..."

"I'm sorry I forced you to tell me. But..." Daisuke suddenly turns angry before gripping Konoe by the front of the star pajamas. "Fuck that guy that did that! What the fuck, though?! Like, honestly?! Who fucking does that?!"

"...Uh."

"I hope they found his ass and arrested him for child pornography! That's so fucked up! What kind of piece of shit would do that, you know?!"

"Daisuke. It... It happened to me. Not you. Remember?" Konoe manages to smile, almost.

"I know! I know... I know that." He looks down for a second before looking back right at Konoe. "But I'm just as pissed off as if it had actually happened to me! Worse! It... It's you. You... You don't deserve that! No one does, but you're..."

"I'm what?"

"...You're a good person. And... And you must have felt so... betrayed." He lets go. "...Sorry. I... I really am. And I made you feel alone too. I don't know why I'm so angry at that guy when I did that to you. I treated you like some kind of... Anyway. I'm sorry. I don't hate you. I... I really don't. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to be forgiven. I knew it was going to end up like that. I knew lying was going to make you hate me. I still did it. So, I'm sorry."

"...I don't hate you. I'm..." Daisuke gives him a suspicious look, trying to examine his own feelings. "Mostly I'm confused."

"...About what?"

"Because it's you. And you've been there the entire time, and even then you were keeping a secret. And so was I, so no judgement and all, but you also... turned girls away from me. And I know why you would, because I get it. And I'm not... I'm not angry. But also, just confused about me because... You're a good-looking guy. You could have any girl you wanted."

"I don't want them." He chuckles. "Girls are nice but..."

"Yeah, you like guys. I know. It's just confusing that you'd pick me."

"It wasn't as if I consciously decided to fall in love with you. I would have preferred someone smarter." He teases, before gesturing to the pajamas. "And with better fashion sense."

"Oh my God. Take that back!"

"At the very least, someone who doesn't pick his nose would have been better."

"I wash my hands!"

"You'd better. You want to touch my face now that it's smooth and you just had your hands all over me." He pauses. "Not like that."

"Yeah, save that for your wet dreams."

"Ha ha. Also, fuck you." Konoe rolls his eyes.

"Is that the wet part of your wet dream?" Daisuke winks. Konoe blushes.

"I... I don't think our friendship is strong enough for you to joke about that with me."

"Want a hug?" He offers, arms wide.

A brief pause with Konoe blushing and then...

"...Wash your hands first."

"Fine. No hug for you then."

"...Hug later."

"Nope. Hug never. You missed your chance, dumbass."

~ ~ ~

"Wait, you're allergic to sesame?" Kaya laughs.

"Why is that funny?" Jinichi frowns at her.

"Because you're like... a Baker!"

"...There are people who make food who have allergies or dietary restrictions! Lots of them! Vegetarians, vegans, people who are lactose intolerant, diabetics, people who are Jewish or Muslim, and even people with celiac! There are lots of people who start their own kinds of catering businesses or start developing food products for markets because the market wasn't made with them in mind!"

"..." Kaya holds her hands up as if to say she surrenders. "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to hit a nerve."

"..." Jinichi clears his throat. He's let his anger get the best of him again. "I... I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to snap at you. But... Yes. Well. Sesame won't kill me. But it makes me break out in hives. They don't hurt, but I'd be itchy for a while. Ebihara is monopolizing the medicine and she can be a little holier-than-thou about it."

"I'm sure she'd let you into the lockers to take some allergy medicine." Kaya rolls her eyes. Shoko's not _that_ unreasonable. "...You just avoid sesame then?"

"If I have to use it, I need to wear gloves, or I won't touch it directly. Eating it's out of the question, so I can't taste my food if I use it. I'd have to make sure someone else does or that the recipe can be trusted. There's a lot of finer points in baking as opposed to cooking. Chemical structures, leavening agents, and texture... I can work my way around most dietary issues, but if I have to use sesame I can't say it's not a handicap. So, I avoid it."

"I guess that makes sense." She says quietly. "I never really thought about it before."

"That's why I'm the one who volunteered for this. Also, I suck at cleaning. But when someone agrees to eat your food, it's because they trust you. That's why family bonds are strengthened when meals are eaten together. Society was practically built around people who could eat the same kinds of food!"

An unexpectedly grand statement.

"...I... I don't really know about that... But... It sounds cool?"

"...Does it?" Jinichi blushes shyly now.

"Ah. That's the noise then." A feminine voice says, entering the kitchens. "You two were so loud, I could hear you from the hallway."

"Tendo." Jinichi says curtly.

"...You two make an odd couple."

"We're just talking. What do you need?" Kaya asks, as politely as she can be with her teeth on edge.

"Nothing. I wanted to make more tea. I found a thermos in the school store. Once I rinse it out, I was going to take it back to my room."

"...Rinse it a few times." Jinichi says quietly. "If it's metal, you're going to want to make sure the metal taste gets out."

"Thank you for the advice." She waves him off as she moves towards the sink. "...Are you two making dinner?"

"Yeah. Nothing complicated though." Kaya says. "Hope you like it."

"...I'll make my own food. The whole situation upsets my stomach. I need something simpler."

"You not feeling well?" Jinichi looks to her seriously.

"Not exactly unwell. But, evaluating who can or cannot be trusted."

"I can't believe Tsubaki went to you of all people." Kaya earns a spiteful glare from Oboro. "I didn't mean it like that. You're just not a team player."

"Neither are you. Apparently, I was judged to be nicer than you, so take that as you will."

"Hey. No more fighting." Jinichi's voice sounds weary. "I really can't take much more of this."

"...Tsubaki seemed a rather simple girl. I never expected her to be so desperate in the end. I assumed that someone like her, who has been in wild and desperate situations before, would have kept her wits about her." Oboro continues washing out her thermos with hot water. Steam rises from the sink.

"I don't know. I guess it's different when you can run away." Kaya can understand that at least. Her problems were much easier to deal with if she could put some distance between herself and them. "When we're trapped like this, I guess all she saw was a battle royale."

"Someone like her was just not equipped for a game like this. To be so utterly foolish... When she saw that I had killed no one, did she really expect I would die for her? What was she thinking..." Even Oboro looks upset about that. "Up until the end when I unmasked her, she actually looked hopeful that she might get away with it."

"..."

"I can't decide if Despair made her stupid, or if she always was stupid. How was I going to die for someone else's sake? ...And for murder no less."

"Looks like she trusted the wrong person." Jinichi's words are simple, but carry an unexpected sting. "She just wanted to live."

"...So did Ran."

"I'm not saying I agree. But Mizuno was... I don't know, it doesn't make sense. Or maybe it does. I'm not sure."

"What?" Kaya asks. "What is it?"

"...Mizuno was the kind of person who always had things going her way. That's how I saw her at least. She'd been through tons of dangerous situations, went all over the world, and acted like she was invincible. Even then she said that she never won anything... That can't be true. She was luckier than most people. Luckier than Ijishima in the end. I... can't say I really understand her. But she was the most normal person here. No normal teenager thinks they'll fail and have to deal with the consequences."

"A pity she learned the hard way." Oboro's words are cold, and they make Jinichi angry. "She should never have lost herself to this game."

"Even so, what did you think you were doing? You let us debate it back and forth instead of actually just saying so!" Jinichi can't suppress the rage in his voice. "You're no better than Souma!"

"..."

"Hey. We shouldn't be fighting..." Kaya hates that she has to repeat Jinichi's line to him.

"If I'd told you all right from the beginning, would you have really believed me?" Oboro's voice is calm and bored. She's begun to boil water, and place tea bags into the thermos. "Truly...?"

"If... If you had the evidence we would've listened!"

"If I had said it all from the beginning, what would have stopped Tsubaki from claiming that I was framing her? My behavior was suspicious, and I placed evidence where you could find it. If I admitted to Yuuhi, why couldn't I have killed Ran? Was I really supposed to expect you all to believe in me?"

"You're just making excuses for yourself. You did it because it was boring." Jinichi scoffs.

"Maybe. But, Tsubaki was right about one thing. I don't trust you to get the answer on your own. It was better that I leave things as they were. Let you exhaust all your suspicions. In all honesty, I didn't understand the relevance of the third floor or the body falling until you spoke about it. There were mysteries even I wanted to learn the answer to."

"That's really not fair of you." Kaya narrows her eyes. "We all want the same thing. We want to get out of here alive. You could have helped. Or you could have convinced Tsubaki not to do it, or... I mean, we all want to live, right?"

"Yes. Tsubaki wanted that too. She would have thrown Matsunaga under the bus for it. And all of you. But I'm the one at fault?"

"You're the one at fault because you didn't have to do that to Rivera!"

"..." She shrugs. She can concede that point at least.

"You could have planted evidence of what she did to Ijishima, you could have waited for us to clear Matsunaga, and call attention to Mizuno having Matsunaga's knife and then let us in on what you were doing. There was no reason to drug someone and set up an elaborate ploy."

"If I didn't, would you have suspected that Ijishima hadn't committed suicide?" Oboro looks at them seriously now. It's not certain if she's making excuses and throwing them out there, or if it was legitimately what she was thinking at the time. The water is almost at a boil. "Tsubaki disguised her bludgeoning by making sure the body would fall. She'd already tried to kill her with an overdose. Aside from Matsuri believing Ran wouldn't commit suicide, I did not trust you all to reach the right conclusion. Even Matsunaga himself didn't grasp the possibility until later."

"You're... You're making it sound like you had no choice. But you did. You chose wrong."

"If that's how you feel, then there's no point in arguing it. I simply want to make it out of here alive." She pours the hot water into her thermos and closes it. She won't look at them. "But... I don't trust any of you to do it. I can't trust anyone here but myself. Being close to anyone in here just means you're making yourself a target."

"...If Zenji were still alive, would you still be saying that?"

"..." Oboro flinches hearing his name brought up, and can only glare at Kaya. "Your best friend killed your other best friend, after he tried to kill her. You think you're the best one to talk about who can be trusted?"

"I know that I won't make it out of here alone. Hating all of you, shutting myself away... How is that going to get me out of here? We're all allies here. None of us wants to kill anyone."

"And yet there's still a pretty high body count. Maybe consider that before you start preaching Hope like Rivera does."

"I'm not preaching. I'm telling you like it is. We will die if we don't work together. If you want to get out of here, you need to depend on us. If even just a little."

"...I don't think we have anything left to discuss."

And Oboro leaves the room.

"...What is with her?!" Jinichi's voice is too loud.

"She thinks she's right. That's the problem. I... I wish I knew what to do."

"You should ask Tachibana. It's his job."

"No." She stares hard at him. "It's everyone's job. We need to find a way to trust each other. Or we'll just end up like Tsubaki. Giving in and killing each other because we think it's kill or be killed. Preaching aside... That's... that's... not what Hope looks like."

~ ~ ~

_How do you unlearn suspicion? How do you unlearn doubt?_

_To make it through a "game" like this... You have to be suspicious of others..._

_But at what point does the thing that can keep you alive also end up killing you?_


	24. Cold Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fluffy chapter before I bring the pain again~

"There's so much snow, how can you not be pumped up?!"

Tsubaki's raucous laughter echoes throughout the classroom. Class was out for the day, finally.

"...Because it's cold, wet, and annoying." Kaya rolls her eyes. How can anyone be that happy about snow?

"Cold, wet, and annoying~" Ginka, Matsuri's puppet pops up next to her face like a horror movie. "Sounds like Kaya after a long X-rated night!"

"Jesus fuck, Matsuri!" Kaya clutches her chest.

"Sorry." Matsuri smiles politely.

"...Have I not told you not to be so vulgar?" Oboro casts a regal scowl in Matsuri's direction. "You behave like a child."

"Oh no! The Empress is scolding the court jester!" Ginka laughs loudly.

"As if you'd be let into my court..." Oboro goes back to reading.

"Yes, yes... Very nice... So much tension... Dramatic pauses." Zenji is framing them with his fingers.

"Daisuke, you look unhappy." Konoe nudges him. "Practice is cancelled. That's a good thing, right?"

"...Yeah. I guess. I... I kinda wanted to practice the recurve bow some more but..."

"You're practicing too hard. You'll end up sick again." Konoe shakes his head.

"Hey, Kaya, do you want your Christmas present now or later?" Chisato asks as she approaches the desk.

"...You didn't have to get me anything." Kaya is surprised, but... not surprised.

"Of course I did. We're friends. Though, it's nothing I made personally." She admits bashfully.

"Really?" Ayumu mumbles. "Aw, I was expecting you'd make us furniture or something."

"...I'd have to pay for the wood and everything, even if I did make it. And where would I keep it? My dorm room's not _that_ big." Chisato says almost discouraged. "I... I would have made cookies or something but..."

Jinichi sneers at her supremely.

"What's the matter, Kogure? Haven't been able to perfect the recipe I gave you?"

"Shut up!"

"You did remember to put flour in them and not sawdust, right?" He laughs.

"Jinichi, stop being an asshole." Kaya scoffs. "Does picking on a girl make you feel like a man? Is that it?"

"It's alright." Yoshiki looks to Chisato with a gentle smile. "I'm sure anything you made was delicious."

"I... No, it wasn't. Actually." Chisato laughs nervously, blushing. "I... forgot to add the sugar."

Kaya watches Yoshiki and Chisato awkwardly flirt. God, this is embarrassing. At this point, she might as well just 'accidentally' shove her into him and hope for the best.

"You forgot to add the sugar?!" Jinichi yells. "How could you ruin my recipe on such a basic level?!"

"I... I forgot, okay, relax! It's not like you were going to have any!"

"You always, always, ALWAYS taste your batter before!"

"...I bet Jinichi loves the taste of his own batter." Ayumu snickers.

"He sure loves himself enough to try~" Ginka agrees. 

The two class clowns laugh as Jinichi turns violet.

"Enough vulgarity. I cannot abide it!" Oboro points at them dramatically as Zenji frames her.

"It's okay, Chisato." Ran laughs. "I'm not much good at baking things either, but..."

She has a container full of simple sugar cookies.

"You made these?" Matsuri asks in her normal voice.

"I tried." She nods. "Although... I'm still a novice."

"They're good!" Ginka says while Matsuri is eating, which is creepy on many levels. "Like super good! Ran is an expert! All hail the new SHSL Baker!"

"The Baker is dead." Ayumu says triumphantly looking to Jinichi. And then turns to Ran. "Long live the Baker!"

"..." Chisato watches it all happen, shaking her head.

"Anyway. If you've got the present now, I don't mind." Kaya says trying her best not to look too guilty. She still hadn't gotten Ayumu or Chisato presents... And although she wasn't planning on it, now she kind of had to. "I can give you yours later."

"Ooh, presents for me! Give me all of them!" Ayumu laughs and begins to crowd Chisato.

"Don't be greedy. You're like a yappy lap dog." Kaya scolds him.

"...Yoshiki, would you like a cookie?" Ran asks all smiles.

"O-Oh... I'm..." A moment of guilt. "I'm sorry. I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" Jinichi scoffs, snatching a cookie from Ran as if he's going to judge it for himself.

"...I... I'm actually on a strict diet." He laughs.

"Dude, you're so fucking skinny already." Kaya frowns. "Like it's not even healthy at this point."

"I actually have a very slow metabolism..." Yoshiki looks away evasively. "When I eat certain things I bloat and... Well, my stomach doesn't agree with a lot of things... I'm sorry, Ijishima. They look delicious."

"It's alright." She smiles, unhurt by his rejection and goes back to the others towards the back.

"..." Konoe stares at the cookies being offered to him nervously.

"...Dude, just fucking eat one." Daisuke laughs. "You're as bad as Yoshiki."

"...But... I... I shouldn't..."

"You don't even have practice today. What's it matter?"

"But it's because I don't have practice... If I eat too many I'll..."

"You will not get fat. Actually, you probably should get fatter." Daisuke teases. "Maybe then when you lift your shirt up some of the girls might actually have their eyes on me for once."

"..." Konoe stares at the cookies as if facing down an enemy he cannot ever hope to defeat. "...Just... Just one is fine... Right?"

"...He wants five." Daisuke says to Ran. "Actually, he wants all of them, but five's enough."

"I would have made more if I'd known!" Ran laughs and hands Konoe five cookies.

"...I... I can have this many...?" Konoe is in reverie.

"Too much sugar is unhealthy." Shoko comes closer and also takes a few. "But, the human body is predisposed to like sugar, salt, and fat... as they are very rare in the wild. We naturally love anything sweet or salty or fatty..."

"You're making me hungry..." Konoe says staring at her seriously. "Please, don't test my willpower, Ebihara."

"I'm saying it's not good to deprive yourself of anything... because you just make it stronger when you say you can't have it. It's like having a crush on someone, right?"

Konoe flushes.

"I... I wouldn't know about that. Sorry."

"That reminds me, what are you getting Yukino for Christmas? Ooh... You should go on a trip." Daisuke smirks.

"Speaking of tasting batter..." Ginka snorts and laughs while Matsuri has the audacity to look astonished at the puppet.

"That was rather unkind." Shirahase gives a gentle smile in her direction. "Please, try and control yourself more."

"...I... I don't think we could. I still have practice and training, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to leave campus for Christmas."

"Oh... That sucks. Well... I'm not going anywhere either." Daisuke grumbles. "I want to spend Christmas with someone..."

"Just do something together like you always do." Shoko says with her mouth half-full but covers her mouth with her face politely. "It's not that bad to be single on Christmas."

"Ebihara." Matsunaga approaches her and pulls her aside.

"...Yeah, like she'd know." Daisuke grumbles.

"I'm here for you. If nothing else." Konoe smiles.

"Your big arms would be good for hugs but it's not the saaaaame...!"

Daisuke collapses his face into his arms, consumed by gloom as he's there with his head on the desk.

Shirahase awkwardly pats Daisuke on the back and gives Konoe a quizzical look.

"...Ebihara. Here." Matsunaga hands her a box of bandages. "For you."

"Huh? For me?" Shoko looks somewhat embarrassed. "...Is this a gift?"

"...Your arms are always scratched up from helping animals. I was afraid you weren't taking proper care of them." Matsunaga's face is half-wrapped in his scarf. "...Take care of yourself."

Shoko nods as he retreats. She wishes she'd gotten him something in return but... What do you even get an Acrobat...?

As she looks at the bandages she can see they're very cute ones with animal prints... And some even have elephants.

"An offering from the male does not go unnoticed." Tsubaki says holding a hairbrush like a microphone as Zenji is framing her. "Will the female's response be favorable? Or unfavorable...? It's still too soon to tell."

"Mind your own business!" She shouts at her.

"As with most creatures, the female is more dangerous than the male!" She teases.

"Yes, yes... Perfect." Zenji nods. "This has everything I need."

"Since there are gifts being given. Here." Oboro hands Zenji a bag. "Do not read too much into this, but your head is always shaved so close it makes me feel cold for you."

"What?! I've become the subject of a plot point!"

"...Open it or give it back." She says simply.

It's a muted red and white bag with a gold bow. Somehow it seems like Oboro put a lot of thought into the appearance of it. He reaches in past the tissue paper and pulls out... A baseball cap?

At once, Zenji dramatically and humorously drops to his knees and smiles.

"I'm not worthy~!"

"Rise, rise... You are worthy." Oboro rolls her eyes with a smile. "...Although I have no idea what team's hat that is. There were all so many and someone tried to mansplain it to me so I asked him what his team's rival was... And that's the hat I picked. His face was all the thanks I needed."

"Thank you, thank you! I'll make sure to give you a gift worthy of you." He laughs and puts it on. "I... I also have no idea about baseball, but it does make me look like a real Director!"

"You always were a real Director, no need for any silly hat. But, if you like it, then I am happy." Oboro smiles, and it almost... No, it actually is genuine.

"Baseball's a sweaty sport and people have to shave their heads and wear really tight clothes even when it's a million degrees out. You get sweaty, and your legs hurt, and the athletic cup pinches you in all the wrong ways in all the wrong places. Seriously, I thought my crotch was going to rebel when Konoe used to rope me into baseball stuff too..."

Daisuke has shaken off his funk long enough to complain.

"Don't ruin my moment, useless pig." Oboro glares at him. "I don't want to hear about your tiny man bits."

"T-Tiny?!"

Ran eats cookies and watches with Matsuri.

"Tiny. Puny. Insignficant. Unable to please anyone."

"That's... How could you say that?! You've never even seen it!"

"Nor has any woman." Oboro smirks. "Except your mommy. Right?"

"Y-You're so mean...!" Daisuke looks to Konoe. "Help me out! Defend my honor! Defend my manhood!"

"...Daisuke." Konoe pats his arm gently. "This is the kind of thing... that keeps you single."

"Even among the males, a clear hierarchy is established through-"

"Tsubaki, stop it." Shoko gives her a stern look.

"We should have a snowball battle royale!" Tsubaki announces to the room.

"..." Shirahase gives her a strange look. "...That sounds like a terrible idea."

"Why a battle royale?" Chisato also gives her a strange look. "That sounds like you get eliminated after you get hit."

"Well... Fine. A free-for-all!"

"No." Kaya rejects it automatically.

"Kaya's scared~" Tsubaki teases. "She knows she's gonna get her ass kicked!"

"Are you a child?"

"Are you a coward?"

"Ladies, ladies... Please." Zenji laughs. "Everyone knows that Oboro would win."

"Naturally. But, please don't involve me in such a childish squabble."

"...It's not tiny..." Daisuke mutters. "It's normal-sized..."

"Daisuke. Now is not the time." Konoe sighs.

"I don't want to be alone on Christmas..."

"I'm still going to be here. You're not alone."

"Speaking of alone." Ayumu snickers. "Where's Yuuhi?"

"...I'm right here." Yuuhi says peering out from his book. "I've been here this whole time."

"Sorry, sorry. You were being so boring and quiet I forgot you existed."

"..."

"Hey, Yuuhi." Ran offers him a cookie. "Are you going back to Spain for Christmas?"

"No." He says simply. "...I'll be here, same as everyone."

"Isn't it like a big deal there?" Tsubaki asks.

"It's a different kind of holiday. But, yes. It's more religious than romantic there, though."

"...I say we pummel Yuuhi with snowballs!" Ayumu smirks.

"Why."

"...Just because."

"Leave him alone." Matsunaga looks over to Ayumu. "Someone who would be beaten so easily has no right to talk that way to another."

"Gasp! A newcomer has entered the ring!" Ayumu crosses his arms. "Me and Kaya versus Yuuhi and Matsunaga. Winner takes all!"

"...I'm not throwing snowballs at people." Kaya huffs and looks away.

"...Winner takes all of what?" Yuuhi asks setting his book down.

"It's a battle for pride and manhood!"

"The winner takes all the manhood?" Ginka snickers. "Sounds like a different kind of _happy ending_..."

Shirahase places her hand on Matsuri's head.

"Enough."

~ ~ ~

For some reason, enough of them were interested in having a snowball fight that somehow everyone was getting roped into it.

It was still snowing outside.

"Girls versus boys!" Tsubaki cheers... and is promptly hit in the face by Oboro's snowball.

"Absolutely not. The Empress stands with no peasant."

"Traitor...!" She points at her. "This treachery will not be forgiven or forgotten!"

"Enjoy being at my feet. It is where you belong."

Oboro is caught off guard by the three snowballs that splatter across her hair. Tsubaki begins to laugh uncontrollably and even Zenji looks panicked.

"Zoom in. Immediate close-up. Tension!"

"Who...!"

Her attention turns to Daisuke who smirks at her.

"Gotcha~"

"...Tsubaki. I propose a temporary alliance." She says with fire in her eyes. "We must destroy him."

"Ooh... Lioness and tigress stalk the stupid smelly warthog."

"Why am I a warthog?!"

"You can be a baboon if you prefer." Oboro smirks. "You're dead either way!"

. . .

"...Hey. Yukino... It's me... Uhh... I guess you're not there." Konoe says as he speaks into his phone. "I know you wanted to do something for Christmas, but... I don't think I can. Sorry. I'm... There's... something I need to say to you, but I shouldn't do it over the phone. I'll... I'll try and tell you in person next time...? Or... No, forget it. I'm sorry. I... I must sound so strange right now. I'm just under a lot of pressure here... And... We can talk later, it's fine. I'm sorry, I'm just rambling at this point."

"Hey, Konoe!" Daisuke calls out to him.

"Just a second!" He calls back. "...Sorry. I've gotta go. I'll... I'll look after Daisuke. Call me back when you can. Okay?"

He hangs up.

"...What's up?"

Daisuke approaches... Covered in snow.

"What happened to you?" Konoe smiles.

"Law of the jungle? ...Were you talking to Yukino?"

"No, just her voicemail."

"...Konoe." Daisuke stares at him seriously. "There's something I need to tell you. And... I don't know what you're going to say, but... Please, don't hate me."

"..." Konoe goes instantly blank. "Um. Alright. I won't hate you. But..."

"Please, just let me... explain myself, alright." He sighs. "We've... We've known each other for a long time, and... and you've always been there for me. No matter what. We're about as close as two people can be, right?"

"That's... That's right." Why is it suddenly so warm?

"Please... forgive me but..." He looks down. "I... I don't know what to get you for Christmas."

"..."

"..."

"That's it?"

"...Well..." There looks like there's something else he wants to say but... "...Yeah. I... I don't know what to get you. You're hard to shop for, you know!"

Daisuke laughs awkwardly.

"There is something you can give me. Something I really want to give you too, Daisuke." Konoe smiles.

"Y-Yeah...?"

"...Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"...Just do it. I promise, nothing would make me happier right now than giving you this."

"...Wait, but I thought I was giving you a gift..."

"Just close your eyes and play along, alright?"

Konoe waits until Daisuke closes his eyes. He can see Daisuke struggling with the urge to peak. All Daisuke can hear is the sound of what he assumes is nervous shuffling and then...

"...Konoe, if you pull my pants down or somethng shitty like that, I will beat you up."

"That was not what I was going to do."

"Good."

"This is what I was going to do."

An unnaturally large snowball drops on his head, breaking into many wet and cold pieces that completely cover him. Konoe's laughter echoes out as Daisuke realizes he's been pranked.

As he opens his eyes, Daisuke glares at him before tackling him into the snow.

"You asshole!"

"Me? You're the one who sounded like you were going to tell me something actually important!" Konoe smiles as Daisuke begins to drop snow on him from above. "Stop, that's cold. It's... You're getting snow down my pants."

"Good!"

"I don't want to be tiny like you." Konoe teases.

"That... That's the meanest thing you've ever said to me!"

A joking slapping fight breaks out before Konoe gains the upperhand, flipping him onto his back and pressing him into the snow. Konoe weighs more than Daisuke, and is stronger as he basically sits on him.

"...I win."

"Not fair!"

"I... was joking, by the way. I'm sure you're..." Konoe shakes his head before getting off of him. "It wouldn't matter even if you were. But you aren't. Probably."

"...Thanks. I think."

"You're not really worried about that, are you?" He smiles.

"No. Not really. But... I don't know, I'm... I'm just feeling self-conscious."

"It'll be fine. We can watch movies, or eat junk food... I'm not going to leave you all by yourself on Christmas." Konoe smiles.

"...I want someone. You know?" He sighs, loudly as he sits up in the snow. "...I don't care who. I... don't like being alone."

"You're not. You have me."

"But I'm not dating you!" Daisuke groans into his hands. "It's not the same. Everyone... has someone. And I... I'm still all by myself. I'm... I'm lonely, Konoe."

"...I know. I get it." Konoe places his hand on Daisuke's shoulder. "I do."

"..."

"If you keep moping, I'll bury you in the snow."

"Good. If no one else is going to hug me, I might as well await death's embrace."

Konoe rolls his eyes before hugging Daisuke close.

"...Stop being so melodramatic. I worry about you. And... it hurts to see you like this."

"..."

"You wanna go back to the dorms? We can watch cartoons and eat junk food?"

"...I wanna stay like this for a few more minutes." He says into Konoe's chest. "Can I?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Konoe tries not to feel too happy about it. It really isn't fair to feel this way but... "...If you snot on me, I'll bury you for real, okay?"

. . .

"What are they even doing?" Kaya asks as she helps Ran make a snowman.

"They're being stupid, that's what." Matsunaga says while Shoko also assists.

"As long as they leave us out of it..." Chisato sits on a bench that she cleared off from snow.

"What did you get me by the way?" Kaya asks as they form the snowman's face.

"No, you have to open it. It's a surprise!" Chisato smirks.

"I'm going to see it anyway, just tell me."

"Nope." She laughs.

"You're such a tease. You should try that on you-know-who, he'd probably love it."

"Oh my God, shut up!" She blushes.

"Hey, if you want him you're going to have to stop being so shy. You're a Carpenter. He's got wood..."

Kaya gives her a suggestive wink. The atmosphere of fun has been infectious.

"You bitch!" Chisato blushes and tries not to laugh. "I can't believe you said that!"

"What?" She laughs. "You want me to tell him for you? Do you like Chisato, check yes or no?"

"Utsumi, I'm counting on you!" Yoshiki calls out.

"You're going down, Tachibana!" Jinichi hurls snowballs like a machine as Zenji ducks behind a snowbank. "Just give up!"

"Not so fast!" Shirahase grabs Matsuri, leaping in front of Yoshiki, and uses Matsuri to block the snowballs. "You will not win!"

"...I don't appreciate being used as a human shield." Matsuri says, dripping with white snow. "Put me down, I'm not a doll!"

"Consider it retribution."

"...Matsunaga." Yuuhi hides behind a tree. Somehow he ended up in the fray after all. "Please help me."

"Fiiiiine..." He rolls his eyes and then turns his attention to the others. "Excuse me."

As Ayumu and Tsubaki have Yuuhi cornered, it's Matsunaga who appears to pelt them both.

"Ahh! Sneak attack! Oboro!"

"Step aside..." Oboro appears with a sinister smile and an armful of snowballs. "...Shall we, Matsunaga?"

The snowball that hits her is a surprise to everyone.

"Oh." Yuuhi pauses. He was the one who threw it. Everyone stops to stare. "...I'm sorry, Tendo. I forgot myself."

"..." Oboro turns to him. "Prepare for death."

"Um... Sorry?"

"No forgiveness!"

"The Empress's orders are absolute!" Zenji laughs.

"...You should go help him." Ran looks to Kaya.

"Me? Why me?"

"It seems like fun!"

"..." She grumbles. "Alright, alright..."

"Go get 'em!" Chisato laughs.

"You're coming too!"

"...I don't want to."

"I don't care!" Kaya glares at her. "If I have to, so do you! You too, Shoko!"

"Me?" Shoko frowns. "But..."

"Ooh! I'm coming too then, I don't want to be left out!" Ran laughs and throws snow at Shoko.

"W-Wait! We're starting now?!" Shoko covers her face and goes for snow to make a snowball.

"Utsumi, can you get close?" Yoshiki calls to her.

"Not at the moment!" She says avoiding snowballs from Jinichi. She's also being targeted by Ayumu and Tsubaki.

"Tch... This isn't looking good..." Matsunaga tries to cover her as best as he can, but is getting hit by Zenji.

"Hey! We're here to help!" Daisuke blocks a hit for Matsunaga before hitting Tsubaki with a snowball.

"You play human shield, I don't want to!" Matsuri hides behind Shirahase to avoid Oboro's onslaught.

"I'll cover you!" Daisuke laughs. "Advance, advance!"

Suddenly, Daisuke finds himself hit by a slew of snowballs.

"...Sorry." Konoe smirks.

"Traitor!"

"I never said I was on your side."

"The battlefield is becoming very complicated..." Shirahase sighs.

Kaya nails Jinichi with a snowball. 

"Hey!"

And... then nails Yuuhi with one too.

"...Oh. I was hit..." He says quietly. "Am I out?"

"No, dude. It's not an elimination match." Daisuke laughs, throwing snowballs at Zenji and Konoe.

Matsunaga is hit by a weak snowball. His eyes narrow as he spots Ran.

"Gotcha~"

"...I don't know what team I'm on." Shoko says ducking behind a tree. "Please don't hit me in the face."

"You're all idiots... But it's about time you learn who's in charge here!"

Kaya begins throwing snowballs at random, and not even Chisato is safe.

"Kaya's a rogue agent!" Tsubaki cries out. "Everyone attack!"


	25. Where Once We Walked

_..._

_I'm not sure what else there is to say right now. We... had reached a tipping point. And now..._

_...I'll just start with the beginning of the end, if that's okay?_

~ ~ ~

The next day after they had done more investigating...

"Is this really necessary...?" Oboro sighs loudly as they stand on the track by the field. "What's this all about?"

"We have to discuss something important." 

Yuuhi absentmindedly feels at his neck as he speaks. There's no redness or irritability from where the rope had been tied around his neck, but being in the track again at all is...

"If it's that important, shouldn't we... discuss things in private?" Shoko looks at them all. "...We could just go into one of the bathrooms."

"Although cramped, I think... with our current number... we would all fit inside." Shirahase suggests.

"I'm okay with that, whatever gets us done faster." Even Matsuri is on edge as she speaks. "But, like, if it's something we can talk about in the open, I'd rather not have to go into the gross bathroms with all of you."

"...Tachibana?" Yuuhi turns to Yoshiki. "What do you think?"

"Uhh... For the time being, let's go to the bathrooms then. There are some parts of this I don't want overheard."

Kaya, Yuuhi, Yoshiki, Jinichi, Konoe, Daisuke, Shoko, Matsunaga, Oboro, Matsuri, Shirahase.

Eleven of them left. 

What a strange thought...

"It's... a little bit cramped." Daisuke mutters to himself. "The boys room has more... space I think?"

"I'm not standing next to a urinal!" Matsuri makes a face.

In the end, Kaya, Shoko, and Jinichi have to practically stand in the stalls to have enough room.

"...This killing needs to stop." Yoshiki looks at them all squarely. "The arguing, the fighting, the insults... it all needs to stop."

"They're talking about you, Matsuri." Daisuke teases. "Quit being an instigator."

"Me?!"

"Who else? The only other instigator is that one over there!"

"...'That one'... so rude. Are you useless with words too now?" Oboro snickers.

"...Daisuke, you're being the instigator right now." Konoe sighs and shakes his head. "And Tendo, you really... need to lay off with that."

"This is exactly the problem!" Yoshiki yells. Or. He says it loudly. With the echo of the bathroom tiles, it sounds like yelling. "You guys can't get along with each other!"

"...We do have some problem elements." Shirahase nods. "Matsuri, Oboro... and to some extent, Sakurai, Tatsuma, and Hirano."

"M-Me?!" Jinichi actually does yell, and it's loud. "I haven't done anything!"

"...I was referring to your competitiveness with Tachibana. Your actions are not the issue."

"That..." Jinichi's voice quiets. "...I mean, I can see your point... I do. But... Wait, you're the one who's been going around threatening to kill people, Utsumi!"

"Ah. You're right. I guess I am a problem element... My apologies."

"She 'guesses'..." Matsuri hisses. "You destroyed my doll!"

"...You blackmailed a friend after assaulting him, and Nishikado. If I hadn't had eyes on me, and were it not my life that would end as a result... You'd be dead by now."

"Utsumi, this is why you got labeled a problem." Konoe gives a weak smile. "A-And... I know I've caused some trouble, so, I'm very sorry about that."

"Konoe's the least problematic on the list." Daisuke huffs. "He's only a problem because Matsuri kept messing with him. If she'd left him alone, he'd be fine."

"I said I was sorry." Matsuri crosses her arms.

"...You did?" Shoko asks dubiously. "When...?"

"...I was sure I said it earlier. But... Fine!" She turns and faces to Konoe. "...I'm sorry I was mean to you. And threatened you. And blackmailed you. And hit you in the head. And wrote in your blood. And-"

"I don't want to hear anymore." Konoe rolls his eyes and looks away.

"Accept my apology already!"

"...No."

"Eh?!"

"He said no. Or can't you hear?" Oboro laughs.

"But... I apologized!"

"So what? ...Just because you apologize doesn't mean we're okay." Konoe looks back at her seriously. "You and I will never be friends. I don't want to kill you, but what you did is inexcusable. And I will never forgive you. When we make it out of here, you stay the hell away from me and I'll try to forget you exist."

"...Guys..." Yoshiki's plan doesn't seem to be working.

"Let them be." Matsunaga crosses his arms. "...You can't force people to get along, Tachibana."

"B-But..."

"Some people don't like each other. Leave them alone. If they don't want to be friends, you can't force them." Shoko and Matsunaga are surprisingly in sync.

"...I agree with Ebihara." Matsunaga nods. "As long as they are willing to work together as allies, they need not be friends. The same is true of everyone here."

"...Fine." Konoe approaches Matsuri and extends his hand. "...Allies?"

Matsuri stares at his hand. Wary. Expecting something.

"...Come on, Matsuri." Kaya groans. "I can't believe I'm the least problematic one here."

"...I'm the least problematic." Yuuhi crosses his arms, now... pouting? "...I haven't done anything wrong the entire time."

"Fine. Queen Isabel over there is the least problematic. And then there's me. Or maybe Yoshiki, I don't give a fuck it's not a competition."

"Sorry. Was I being childish?"

"You were being something, I don't know what, but if I had to pick a word it'd be 'petty'..." Shoko chuckles.

"...You're not going to hit me?" Matsuri looks up at Konoe. "To get even?"

"I don't want to get even, I want to get out of here. I assumed that's what you wanted too."

"That... is what I want." Matsuri's voice is surprisingly normal. And even. "I wanted to get out more than anyone else. But... I don't have strength. All I have is my brain and funny voices. I'm the easiest target here and everyone knows it."

"I don't want to kill you."

"But there are still people here that might! Any of us could kill anyone else. And I'm... a big target."

The conversation suddenly turns dark.

"...H-Hey... Matsuri, no one wants to kill you..." Shoko's voice breaks. "E-Even Shirahase doesn't want to kill you."

"Not with witnesses or in this environment." She responds matter-of-factly.

"I'm... I'm just like them." Matsuri stares at the rest of them. "Zenji, Ayumu, Chisato, Tsubaki... Ran... I'm... I'm one of them."

"One of who? What are you even saying?"

"...The weak ones. Yoshiki, Jinichi, me, Yuuhi... We're the weaker ones. And... And the rest of you are athletes. Even that one can mimic the strong ones..."

"Again with calling me 'that one'..."

"It's like what Tsubaki said. It's survival of the fittest. But... my smarts are all I have."

Although everyone would have gone for words like 'sly' or 'clever' rather than smart...

"You need to stop talking like her." Kaya glares dangerously. "Tsubaki gave into Despair because she thought that way. And... And it's not true. We... Survival of the fittest applies to animals and nature. We are not mindless animals!"

"What would you know...? You didn't even know your best friends were capable of murder..."

"Souma, you're going too far." Yuuhi says sharply. "Apologize."

"It's true! You can say we're not mindless animals all you want, but you guys have a group of friends and I'm not in it! I'm still on the outside of everything!"

"...And whose fault is that?" Daisuke sneers. "You isolated yourself so we wouldn't do it for you, is that it? What a coward."

"Tatsuma, that's not constructive." Yoshiki tries to take control of the situation now. "...Souma, shake his hand. We're allies now. From here on out."

Matsuri looks back to Konoe's hand. He's held it out this entire time.

"I just... I... I don't... I don't want to die... And if I have to kill, I don't..."

"Souma, we're going to get out of here." Yuuhi nods. "...Accept his hand. That is the first step to making amends. Or to getting out."

...

Slowly, Matsuri... takes Konoe's hand. And shakes it.

"...Allies. For now. I guess."

And they withdraw their hands.

"In that case, let's move on. There was something I thought of, but I will need everyone's help in something."

All eyes turn to Yuuhi.

"...This is about your investigation stuff, right? You and Yoshiki?" Kaya asks.

"That's right. I may have a plan to escape. But... I can't do it alone."

"What is it?"

"...In the utility room, where Mizuno found the rope for..." Yuuhi trails off. "She did return the rope after the crime was done. There's still rope there."

"...How much?" Kaya asks.

"...Not enough to scale the entire building. However..."

"Wait, wasn't there more rope than that? What about the rope that was around Yuuhi's neck?"

"You were there, Daisuke. Tendo cut the rope with an arrow, remember? We'd have to get it down and tie it together, assuming it's still there. They're still fixing up the third floor, but I'd imagine they already cleaned up the track as best they could."

"In any case, the length of the rope is not the problem. There is about thirty feet of rope on one of the coiled spools."

"If we used the rope on the second floor we could probably get out a window... Tsubaki managed to make it up to the roof, so..." Shoko nods. "But... The Mono-men are still there, probably."

"I wasn't planning on using the rope that way." Yuuhi shakes his head. "Tachibana and I came up with a plan of..."

"...What, you're not going to tell us now?!" Jinichi glares.

"I'm... afraid of being overheard."

"...Does this plan require my help at all?" Oboro looks to them, bored.

"...Not exactly, no. Or, you aren't a pivotal player. We might need you for a part of it."

"Then I'll go and stand watch just in case." She rolls her eyes. "If that'll make things easier. Tell me later what you need."

"...I'll get the other door, if you guys don't need me." Shoko says quietly. "I'm not very strong or athletic, so I assume you wouldn't need my help."

"I'm sorry, Ebihara." Yoshiki bows politely. "I'll tell you both the plan later."

"The less I know, the better." Oboro sighs. "Just tell me when we're ready to act and skip the lecture. Bullet points will suffice. Otherwise, keep me out of it."

...

"Well..." Yoshiki says after a few minutes. "We were thinking of using the ladders in the utility room."

"The ladders?" Konoe quirks a brow. "...I guess there were some ladders in there that we saw while investigating but... We're still scaling the building if we use ladders. Maybe sturdier than climbing down with a rope, but..."

"Not at all." Yuuhi shakes his head. "You're thinking vertically. We were thinking horizontally."

"Horizontally...?" Kaya makes a face. "...You want to use the ladders to cross over from this building to the Administration building...?!"

"Yes. That's it exactly."

"...Would that even be possible?" Matsunaga is absentmindedly wrapping his hands up with his scarf, nervous fidgetting. "The gap between the buildings is..."

"When I was investigating Ran's murder, we did investigate that." Daisuke mumbles looking at Jinichi. "...It's about twenty feet I'm pretty sure."

"Why do you know that...?" Matsunaga stares.

"I... Well, we investigated it. And... Assuming Matsunaga wasn't the culprit - which you weren't - I was kind of thinking Matsunaga could make the jump and like... use his scarf so we could Tarzan across or something! I don't know, it just seemed like we should know! And... Well, most of you couldn't jump that far but..."

"We were investigating the roof." Jinich nods. "I do remember that."

"In all honesty, I had a theory maybe Ran had tried to jump the gap, but ended up with the tablecloth around her neck. But it didn't make a lot of sense in the end. I... I thought it was useful info regardless. And with Matsunaga here..."

"I'm not a longjumper. I could maybe catch one of the windows, but it seems like a good way to break my neck, or some ribs..." Matsunaga grimaces. 

"You know the distance though?" Konoe gives him an appraising look. "How did you figure that out?"

"I shot an arrow. Usually my targets are about a hundred feet away... At the Olympics, the archery target is way further away. I can judge the distance just by the aim and everything..."

"..." Kaya shakes her head. "That sounds fake, but whatever..."

"Listen! I'm SHSL Archer. I know how much power it takes to hit the target, so I can kind of judge the distance based on how the bow feels when I fire! It's no different than a Baker being able to judge amounts of ingredients by sight, or a driver who can judge when they need to pump the brakes. Even you must know how much energy to put into riding up a hill or knowing when to turn your bike or things like that!"

"...Still sounds fake." Kaya mumbles. He's not exactly wrong, but it's hardly an exact science.

"In any case..." Yoshiki says loudly, cutting them off. "The plan... was that we'd ask Matsunaga to jump over and help us secure the rope line... But we'd also tie the ladders together to form a bridge."

"...Again, still at risk of breaking my neck. Or ribs. Or missing entirely. Or plummeting to my death and not being much help." 

"I could always give it a try." Konoe shrugs. "I'm more athletic than Matsunaga. And if I can jump the gap and climb up, Matsunaga could easily cross the ladders. It'd be like a tightrope."

"That... sounds risky." Kaya admits.

"My thoughts exactly." Shirahase shakes her head. "You're suggesting that tie the rope to the roof - which has no guardrail anyway - tie the ladders together, then send Matsunaga or Sakurai over with the rope and... set up a bridge made out of the ladders...? Wouldn't our weight be too much?"

"...Maybe not one at a time." Yuuhi says quietly. "One by one like how Sakurai suggested. Matsunaga's done it before in his acts. I'm sure Tendo would be able to emulate it too. Maybe."

"...'Maybe'... Hell of a maybe, Yuuhi." Kaya chides her.

"What other choice do we have? Wait here forever...?"

He did have her there.

"If nothing else, I guess Matsunaga or Konoe would be able to make it across. I think he could do it. Or at least grab something and climb up the Administration building."

"You're... really overestimating my abilities." Matsunaga sighs. "...The whole wall jumping thing aside, I'm not sure if I have that kind of strength. Sakurai might, but if he misses, someone would have to pull him up. And aside from all of that, we have no way of getting the ladders up to the roof. You think Monokuma would let us waltz up there with ladders and rope and not interfere...?"

"If you take some of us up the roof, we can pull the ladders up through the windows." Jinichi nods to himself thoughtfully.

"What, and hope the cameras aren't going to catch us?"

"The third floor might very well be restricted again. Of course... that does just mean the 'floor', but I don't know if Matsunaga would be up to doing that." Kaya shrugs.

"We discussed something similar in the trial. There's no way I would have been able to carry Ijishima and do that jump technique, and she was the smallest of us. How would I do it with two ladders and a rope? The windows would be the best option, but you'd all have to climb up, or hope that the cameras didn't see you on the third floor."

Jinichi looks away, thinking to himself. There might be a way...

"...It's better than just waiting around for us to kill each other."

"This plan is stupid. You can't even agree on who should be doing what." Matsuri scowls. "I can't believe I'm allies with you idiots..."

"I'll agree that we need to do something. But is there no better way to do this?" Shirahase asks. "Is this our only option...?"

"W-Well..." Jinichi says nervously. "I think... I think I could maybe help with the plan."

"...How?"

"The cameras and the monitors are still an issue, right?" He asks seriously. "...What if we knocked out the power somehow? Then even if you have to take the ladders and whatever out the window, people could still use the third floor to get to the roof."

"...How?" Kaya furrows a brow.

"...I... I have an idea, and it might work. But I can't say what it is."

"What?!"

"Listen, just... I think I can knock out the power, if only just temporarily. I think there's a way to do that. But, I don't want to jinx it or..."

"Jinx it...?" Yuuhi blankly stares.

"Monokuma might not have cameras here but he might still have listening devices here. And if he figures out what I'm planning at all, he could seriously fuck it all up. If my plan gets discovered - if any of you mention it, or he finds out somehow - it gets fucked up. I need to keep it to myself so there's no way Monokuma gets wind of it."

"Normally, I'd be skeptical but..." Yuuhi admits. "...We can't leave it to chance. Hirano, are you sure?"

"So... when do you want me to knock out the power?"

"Um... I... I suppose we could try for tomorrow?" Yoshiki looks to Yuuhi who nods. "Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?! That soon?" Daisuke flinches.

"The longer we wait, the more time we have for things to go wrong. And maybe tomorrow's the day Monokuma decides to give us a new motive." Matsuri makes a face at him. "You want that? You want to see what other dirt he's got on us...?"

"W-Well..."

"It is rushed, and much could go wrong. But." Shirahase looks at them all seriously. "...Use my strength however you see fit. And I will do my utmost to keep you all alive."

"...I'm the fastest runner. If you need that, let me know." Kaya nods.

"It's a bit of a time crunch, but if you need me, I'm here." Daisuke also nods. "...If nothing else, we could distract Monokuma somehow. If we need to."

"...Don't look at me when you say that. I don't want to run interference!" Matsuri grimaces.

"And what else can you do to contribute? I don't have much in the way of strength right now, and neither do you. Us weaklings have to be useful."

"Daisuke..."

"I'll be careful. I just gotta make a scene. I'm good at that. I'm a walking scandal!"

"..." Matsuri bites back a smart remark.

"Alright. After breakfast..." Jinichi nods. "...Everyone, once you eat, stay far away from the kitchen. No matter what happens, don't go near it. Just... If you're helping with this crazy plan, be ready in the utility room or something, or be loosening the grates on the windows or... Whatever you're doing."

"We'll decide everyone's roles and give them to you later." Yuuhi looks to Yoshiki. "...That way no one can reveal too much of the plan?"

"Sounds good. Maybe they have walkie-talkies in the store? We might be able to use those if the power goes out. Oh! I... I can go and make some survival kits. Water and food and stuff? Flashlights...?"

"Jinichi." Kaya stares at him. She can't imagine what he must be thinking. "Are you sure...?"

"I'm not really good for much in these situations, but if I'm right, I think I can get this. But they might have auxiliary power, or... I don't know what the exact power setup is, but you guys'll have to get your shit together and done ASAP. And then we can get out of here."

"...In that case, the rest of us will be involved in assembling the plan or transporting the ladders and the rope." Shirahase nods. "And other things if needed..."

"Alright. Tomorrow then." Yuuhi nods. "We'll give everyone else their part to play and figure this out. But we will get out of here. All of us."

~ ~ ~

__  
_In all honesty, I was... afraid. Really afraid._

_Because, yet again, I was putting my faith in the others. I wanted to believe in them, because there's only so much I can do... Maybe I wasn't the only one who felt like that._

_Hopeful, but scared..._

_And forward... is the only way we could go._

**Author's Note:**

> Part 5 of the Adios, Despair! series
> 
> \- - -
> 
> Part 1 - The Despair Tango  
> Part 2 - I'll Follow You Into the Dark  
> Part 3 - A Hopeful Waltz  
> Part 4 - Heartfelt Entremes  
> Part 5 - Unlucky Madrigal


End file.
